A Boy Named Sue

[00:01.14] Well, my daddy left home when I was three

[00:07.33] And he didn't leave much to ma and me

[00:09.59] Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze

[00:12.97] Now I don't blame him 'cause he run and hid

[00:16.63] But the meanest thing that he ever did

[00:18.89] Was before he left he went and named me sue

[00:22.55] Well, he musta thought that it was quite a joke

[00:27.34] An' it got a lot of laughs from lots a folks

[00:29.87] Seems I had to fight my whole life through

[00:33.53] Some gal would giggle and I'd get red

[00:36.64] And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head

[00:39.18] I'll tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named sue

[00:42.56] I grew up quick and I grew up mean

[00:48.48] My fist got hard and my wis got keen

[00:51.02] I roamed from town to town to hide my shame

[00:54.68] But I made me a vow to the moon and stars

[00:57.78] I'd search the honky-tonks and bars

[01:00.89] And kill that man that gave me that awful name

[01:03.43] Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July

[01:07.10] I'd just hit town and my throat was dry

[01:09.63] Thought I'd stop and have myself a brew

[01:13.57] In and old saloon on a street of mud

[01:16.67] There at a table dealin' stud

[01:18.93] Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me sue

[01:22.30] Well I knew that snake was my own sweet dad

[01:25.97] From a worn out picture that my mother had

[01:28.22] & I knew that scar on his cheek & his evil eye

[01:32.17] He was big and bent and grey and old

[01:35.54] And I looked at him and my blood ran cold, and I said

[01:38.37] My name is sue! How do you do! Now you gonna die!

[01:44.00] Yeah, that's what I told him!

[01:47.67] Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes

[01:51.89] And he went down, but to my surprise

[01:53.86] Come up with a knife a cut off a piece o' my ear

[01:57.81] I busted a chair right across his teeth

[02:01.20] And we crashed through the wall and into the street

[02:03.45] Kickin' and a gougin' in the the mud and the blood and the beer

[02:06.56] I tell you I've fought tougher men

[02:10.22] But I really can't remember when

[02:12.46] He kicked like a mule & bit like a crocodile

[02:16.69] Well I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss

[02:20.09] He went for his gun but I pulled mine first

[02:22.90] He stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile

[02:26.57] And he said: Son, this world is rough

[02:29.40] And if a man's gonna make it he's gotta be tough

[02:31.65] And I know I wouldn't be there to help you along

[02:35.05] So I gave that name and I said goodbye

[02:38.70] I knew you'd have to get tough or die

[02:41.23] And it's that name what helped to make you strong

[02:44.90] Now you just fought one hell of a fight

[02:49.71] And I know you hate me and ya got the right

[02:51.96] To kill me now and I wouldn't blame you if you do

[02:55.62] But you oughtta thank me before I die

[02:59.29] For the gravel in your gut and the spit in your eye

[03:01.54] 'Cause I'm the son of a bitch that named you sue!

[03:04.36] Well, what could I do, what could I do?

[03:09.15] Well I got a choked up and threw down my gun

[03:11.97] Called him a pa and he called me a son

[03:14.23] And I come away with a different point of view

[03:17.61] I think about him now and then

[03:21.27] Every time I try and every time I win

[03:23.81] And if I ever have a son

[03:26.35] I think I'm gonna name him

[03:28.60] Bill or george! Any damn thing but Sue!

[03:32.83] I still hate that name!