Oh my mama told me
'Cause she say she learned the hard way
Say she wanna spare the children
She say don't give or sell your soul away
'Cause all that you have is your soul

[Chorus: ]
Don't be tempted by the shiny apple
Don't you eat of the bitter fruit
Hunger only for a taste of justice
Hunger only for a world of truth
'Cause all that you have is your soul

I was a pretty young girl once
I had dreams, I had high hopes
I married a man he stole my heart away
He gave his love but what a high price I paid
And all that you have is your soul

Why was I such a young fool
Thought I'd make history
Making babies was the best I could do
Thought I'd made something that could be mine forever
Found out the hard way one can't possess another
And all that you have is your soul

[Chorus: ]

I thought, thought that I could find a way
To beat the system
To make a deal and have no debts to pay
I'd take it all, take it all I'd run away
Me for myself first class and first rate
But all that you have is your soul

Here I am waiting for a better day
A second chance
A little luck to come my way
A hope to dream a hope that I can sleep again
And wake in the world with a clear conscience and clean hands
'Cause all that you have is your soul

[Chorus: ]

Oh my mama told me
'Cause she said she learned the hard way
She said she want to spare the children
She said it don't give to sell your soul away
All that you have is your soul
All that you have
All that you have
All that you have
All that you have is your soul

Copyright: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Writer(s): TRACY L CHAPMAN