Kenny Rogers - Coward Of The County

[00:10.56] Everyone considered him the coward of the county

[00:17.20] He'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong

[00:23.59] His mama named him Tommy, but folks just called him Yellow

[00:30.76] But something always told me, they were reading Tommy wrong

[00:37.39] He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison

[00:43.77] I looked after Tommy, 'cause he was my brother's son

[00:50.16] I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy

[00:57.07] "Son, my life is over, but yours has just begun"

[01:03.71] "Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done

[01:08.76] Walk away from trouble if you can

[01:14.35] Now it won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek

[01:19.40] I hope you're old enough to understand

[01:24.44] Son, you don't have to fight to be a man"

[01:30.29] There's someone for everyone and Tommy's love was Becky

[01:36.41] In her arms, he didn't have to prove he was a man

[01:42.79] One day while he was working, the Gatlin boys came calling

[01:49.72] They took turns at Becky an' there was three of them

[01:56.10] Tommy opened up the door and saw Becky crying

[02:02.76] The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand

[02:09.14] He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy's picture

[02:15.51] As his tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again

[02:22.42] "Promise me, Son, not to do the things I've done

[02:27.46] Walk away from trouble if you can

[02:32.76] Now it won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek

[02:37.83] I hope you're old enough to understand

[02:43.16] Son, you don't have to fight to be a man"

[02:48.20] The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the bar room

[02:54.85] One of them got up and met him half way cross the floor

[03:01.49] When Tommy turned around they said, "Hey look! Old Yellow's leaving"

[03:08.67] But you could've heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and locked the door

[03:16.09] Twenty years of crawling was bottled up inside him

[03:21.15] He wasn't holding nothing back, he let 'em have it all

[03:27.52] When Tommy left the bar room, not a Gatlin boy was standing

[03:34.16] He said, "This one's for Becky", as he watched the last one fall

[03:39.21] And I heard him say

[03:40.54] "I promised you, Dad, not to do the things you've done

[03:45.59] I walk away from trouble when I can

[03:50.90] Now please don't think I'm weak, I didn't turn the other cheek

[03:56.20] And Papa, I should hope you understand

[04:01.25] Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man"

[04:07.10] Everyone considered him the coward of the county