Mama, Don't Treat Your Daughter Mean

Ry Cooder

Hey, mama, don't you treat your daughter mean 
Hey, mama, don't you treat your daughter mean 
'Cause you treat her so mean and she's only sweet sixteen 

It was late last Friday evening, when everything was still 
I heard somebody calling my name outside my window sill 
I got up and I looked outside strainin' my eyes to see 
And my heart went wild when I realized just who was calling me 

I hollered 
Hey, mama, don't you treat your daughter mean 
Hey, mama, don't you treat your daughter mean 
'Cause you treat her so mean and she's only sweet sixteen 

Now, her eyes were blazing up at me 
Her hair was black as night 
And her naked skin shone like gold 
Out in the pale moonlight 
She took my hand and she pulled me down 
Where the grass had grown up tall 
The she moved her body all around 
Just like a cannon ball 

Hey, mama, don't you treat your daughter mean 
Hey, mama, don't you treat your daughter mean 
'Cause you treat her so mean and she's only sweet sixteen 

Yonder comes your mama, girl, 'cross the field 
Runnin' and a-shakin' like an automobile 
Daddy's got a shotgun in his hand 
They just don't understand 
The first time I seen that sweet girl 
She was runnin' home from Sunday school 
And the next time I seen that sweet little girl 
Was when she broke her mama's rule 
But the last time I seen that sweet little girl 
She was filled with a strange desire 
Rollin' and tumblin' out on the cold wet ground 
Her skin burnin' up just like a cane fire 
She called my name a thousand ways 
The tears came streaming down her face 
But just when I was 'bout to blow my stack 
Her daddy came a-creepin' and a-crawlin' up behind 
And he shot me in the back