Tennessee Women'S Prison

Mama said that thirteen was too young to paint my lips
And too young to run with men twice my years
But when you're young and yearn to be
A woman, what does your mother know?
I couldn't understand her hangups and her fears

A year went by and I got tired of mama's foolish advice
At fourteen, I was sure I knew it all
It wasn't like it was at home out on the streets alone
To make ends meet, I lived outside the law

Now I'm living in a cold gray world, hearing crying in the night
Missing even Mom and Dad and the man to hold me tight
I should have listened to my mama and seen the wisdom in her eyes
And the Tennessee women's prison wouldn't be my mama tonight

If I ever get out of this musty cell, I'll never be back again
Because mama has sure got smarter every day since I've been in
I'm gonna follow the straight and narrow if I can just get my parole
And the Tennessee women's prison won't own my soul

Because I'm living in a cold gray world, hearing crying in the night
Missing even Mom and Dad and the man to hold me tight
I should have listened to my mama and seen the wisdom in her eyes
And the Tennessee women's prison wouldn't be my mama tonight