The Coward of the Country

[00:06.72] Everyone considered him the coward of the county

[00:23.50] He'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong

[00:29.72] His mama named him Tommy, but folks just called him Yellow

[00:36.77] But something always told me, they were reading Tommy wrong

[00:43.30] He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison

[00:50.22] I looked after Tommy, 'cause he was my brother's son

[00:56.82] I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy

[01:03.49] "Son, my life is over, but yours has just begun"

[01:10.45] "Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done

[01:15.46] Walk away from trouble if you can

[01:20.48] Now it won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek

[01:25.88] I hope you're old enough to understand

[01:31.29] Son, you don't have to fight to be a man"

[01:36.60] There's someone for everyone and Tommy's love was Becky

[01:42.89] In her arms, he didn't have to prove he was a man

[01:49.47] One day while he was working, the Gatlin boys came calling

[01:56.58] They took turns at Becky an' there was three of them

[02:02.73] Tommy opened up the door and saw Becky crying

[02:09.39] The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand

[02:15.85] He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy's picture

[02:22.60] As his tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again

[02:29.31] "Promise me, Son, not to do the things I've done

[02:34.13] Walk away from trouble if you can

[02:39.84] Now it won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek

[02:44.77] I hope you're old enough to understand

[02:50.11] Son, you don't have to fight to be a man"

[02:55.77] The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the bar room

[03:02.28] One of them got up and met him half way cross the floor

[03:08.89] When Tommy turned around they said, "Hey look! Old Yellow's leaving"

[03:16.35] But you could've heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and locked the door

[03:22.34] Twenty years of crawling was bottled up inside him

[03:28.94] He wasn't holding nothing back, he let 'em have it all

[03:34.84] When Tommy left the bar room, not a Gatlin boy was standing

[03:39.84] He said, "This one's for Becky", as he watched the last one fall

[03:47.26] And I heard him say

[03:48.55] "I promised you, Dad, not to do the things you've done

[03:53.06] I walk away from trouble when I can

[03:58.70] Now please don't think I'm weak, I didn't turn the other cheek

[04:03.64] And Papa, I should hope you understand

[04:08.99] Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man"

[04:14.87] Everyone considered him the coward of the county