D G
G
I was left alone, A long, long time ago
C                               D
By my mother who I never got to know
      C
Faded memories of my life  
          G                  C
Have been washed in whiskey nights
        D                           G       C G
And I’m living at the bottom of the bottle

G
I’ve spent my life on a bar stool all alone
      C                               D
Never knowing why she sent me from my home
          C                 
Was there something wrong with me?
    G                  C
That no one else could see
          D                         G      C G
What’s the reason only I got turned away


[Chorus]
     D
Mama please tell me why
          C                 G
You would leave just me behind
                                              D
You sent me off and then you went and had my brother
       C               
Before me, a little girl
             G                 C
And they’re the centre of your world
    G                 D                 G          
Mama tell me why’d you leave the middle child?

C  G  D  G

G
I should’ve gone back home and ask her to her face
C                                  D
But my life’s become too much of a disgrace
      C                        G            C
And I got the news today saying mama passed away
D                                 G
So I’ll never know the reason I’m alone
 

[Chorus]
     D
Mama please tell me why
          C                 G
You would leave just me behind
                                              D
You sent me off and then you went and had my brother
       C               
Before me, a little girl
             G                 C
And they’re the centre of your world
    G                 D                 G      C    
Mama tell me why’d you leave the middle child?
           G          D                 C     G D G
Mama tell me why’d you leave the middle child?