| B# | F# | G#m | Em | |
| First thing I rem | ember was a | sking papa, | why, |
| B# | G | B# | |
| For t | here were many th | ings I didn't k | now. |
| F# | G#m | E | |
| And daddy always s | miled and t | ook me by the h | and, |
| B# | F# | B# | |
| Saying, | someday y | ou'll underst | and. |
| (chorus:) F# B# |
| Well, I'm here to tell you now, each and every mother's son, |
| F# | B# | |
| That you | better learn it fast, you be | tter learn it young, |
| C#m | E | B# | |
| 'Cause | somed | ay never c | omes. |
| Well, time and tears went by and I collected dust. |
| For there were many things I didn't know. |
| When daddy went away, he said, try to be a man, |
| And someday you'll understand. |
| Well, I'm here... |
| And then one day in April, I wasn't even there, |
| For there were many things I didn't know. |
| A son was born to me. Mama held his hand, |
| sayin' someday you'll understand. |
| Well, I'm here... |
| (change progression:) |
| C | G | Am | Fm | |
| Think it was Sept | ember, the y | ear I went a | way, |
| C | A6 | C | |
| For th | ere were many th | ings I didn't k | now. |
| C | G | Am | F | |
| And st | ill I see him st | anding tr | yin' to be a | man, |
| C | G | C | |
| I said, so | meday yo | u'll underst | and. |
| G | C | |
| Well, I'm h | ere to tell you now, each and ev | ery mother's son, |
| G | C | |
| That you b | etter learn it fast, you be | tter learn it young, |
| Dm7 | F6 | F | |
| 'Cause s | omed | ay never co | mes. |
| (outro:) C Dm7 F6 F C Dm C Dm |
| ( A6 = x02222, F6 = x03231 ) |
| Ludwig Alberter (ludwig@okfest.unt.dec.com) |