[Intro]
C# D#m Bmaj7 C#
■ ■ ■ You are appreciated
[Verse]
Bmaj7 A#m Bmaj7
■ When I was young me and my mama had beef
G#m7 D#7
Seventeen years old kicked out on the streets
A#m7 A#m B
Though back at the time I never thought I'd see her face
G#m7 D#m
Ain't a woman alive that could take my mama's place
A#m7 Bmaj7
Suspended from school and scared to go home I was a fool
G#m7 D#m7
With the big boys breakin' all the rules
A#m7 Bmaj7
I shed tears with my baby sister over the years
G#m7 D#m7
We was poorer than the other little kids
A#m7 Bmaj7
And even though we had different daddies the same drama
G#m7 D#m7
When things went wrong we'd blame Mama
A#m7 Bmaj7
I reminisce on the stress I caused it was hell
B F#
Huggin' on my mama from a jail cell
A#m7 B G#m7
And who'd think in elementary hey
D#m A#m7
I'd see the penitentiary one day
B G#m
And runnin' from the police that's right
D#m A#m7
Mama catch me put a whoopin' to my backside
A#m B
And even as a crack fiend Mama
G#m7 D#m7 A#m7
You always was a black queen Mama
B
I finally understand
G#m7 D#m
For a woman it ain't easy tryin' to raise a man
A#m7 Bmaj7
You always was committed
G#m7 D#m7
A poor single mother on welfare tell me how you did it
A#m7
There's no way I can pay you back
Bmaj7 G#m7 D#m7
But the plan is to show you that I understand
[Chorus]
D#m7
You are appreciated
A#m7 B G#m7 D#m A#m7 A#m Bmaj7 G#m7
Lady ■ don't you know we love ■ ■ you
D#m
Sweet lady place no one above you
A#m7 A#m Bmaj7 D#m
Sweet lady don't you know we love you
[Verse]
A#m A#m7 B
Now ain't nobody tell us it was fair
G#m7 D#m
No love from my daddy 'cause the coward wasn't there
A#7 B
He passed away and I didn't cry 'cause my anger
G#m7 D#m7
Wouldn't let me feel for a stranger
A#m7 B
They say I'm wrong and I'm heartless but all along
G#m7 F#
I was lookin' for a father he was gone
A#m7
I hung around with the thugs
Bmaj7
And even though they sold drugs
B F#
They showed a young brother love
A#m7
I moved out and started really hangin'
Bmaj7 G#m7 D#m7
I needed money of my own so I started slangin'
A#m7
I ain't guilty 'cause even though I sell rocks
B G#m7 D#m7
It feels good puttin' money in your mailbox
A#m7
I love payin' rent when the rent's due
G#m7 D#m7
I hope you got the diamond necklace that I sent to you
A#m7
'cause when I was low you was there for me
B G#m7 D#m7
And never left me alone because you cared for me
A#m7
And I could see you comin' home after work late
Bmaj7 G#m7 D#m7
You're in the kitchen tryin' to fix us a hot plate
A#m7 Bmaj7
You just workin' with the scraps you was given
B G#m7 D#m7
And Mama made miracles every Thanksgivin'
A#m7 Bmaj7
But now the road got rough you're alone
G#m7 D#m
You're tryin' to raise two bad kids on your own
A#m7
And there's no way I can pay you back
Bmaj7 B F#
But my plan is to show you that I understand
[Chorus]
F#
You are appreciated
A#m7 A#m Bmaj7 G#m7
Lady don't you know we love you
Bmaj7 D#m7 A#7
Sweet lady place no one above you
Bmaj7 G#m7 D#m A#m7 Bmaj7 G#7 D#m
Sweet ■ ■ ■ lady ■ don't you know we love you
[Verse]
A#m
Pour out some liquor and I reminisce
Bmaj7 G#m7 D#m7
'cause through the drama I can always depend on my mama
A#m7
And when it seems that I'm hopeless
Bmaj7 B G#m7 D#m7
You say the words that can get me back in focus ■
A#m7
When I was sick as a little kid
Bmaj7 G#m7 D#m7
To keep me happy there's no limit to the things you did
A#m7 Bmaj7
And all my childhood memories
G#m7 D#m7
Are full of all the sweet things you did for me
A#m7 Bmaj7
And even though I act crazy
G#m7 D#m7
I gotta thank the Lord that you made me
A#m7 Bmaj7
There are no words that can express how I feel
G#m7 D#m7
You never kept a secret always stayed real
A#m7 Bmaj7
And I appreciate how you raised me
F#
And all the extra love that you gave me
A#m7
I wish I could take the pain away
Bmaj7 G#m7 D#m
If you can make it through the night there's a brighter day
A#m7 Bmaj7
Everything will be alright if you hold on
G#m7 G#m D#m
It's a struggle every day gotta roll on
A#m7
And there's no way I can pay you back
Bmaj7 B Bmaj7
But my plan is to show you that I understand
[Chorus]
A#m7
You are appreciated
A#m Bmaj7 G#m7 D#m7
Lady ■ don't you know we love you
A#m7 Bmaj7 D#m
Sweet lady ■ place no one above you
A#m7 Bmaj7
Sweet lady ■ don't you know we love you
[Outro]
A#m Bmaj7 D#m7
Sweet lady ■
A#m7 Bmaj7 G#m7 D#m7 A#m7 Bmaj7
Lady Lady ■ ■ ■ ■ lady
G#m7 D#m7 A#m7 A#m Bmaj7 G#7 G#m7
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
[End]
GUITAR
