A Boy Named Sue

A Boy Named Sue - Johnny Doe

Well my daddy left home when I was three

And he didn't leave much to ma and me

Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze

Now I couldn't blame him cause he run and hid

But the meanest thing that he ever did

Was before he left' he went and named me Sue

Well he must of thought that is quite a joke

And it got a lot of laughs from a' lots of folk'

It seems I had to fight my whole life through

Some gal would giggle and I'd get red

And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head

I tell ya' life ain't easy for a boy named Sue

Well I grew up quick and I grew up mean'

My fist got hard and my wits got keen'

I'd roam from town to town to hide my shame

But I made a vow to the moon and stars

That I'd search the honky tonks and bars

And kill that man who gave me that awful name

Well it was Gatlinburg in mid July

And I just hit town and my throat was dry'

I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew

At an old saloon on a street of mud'

There at a table' dealing stud'

Sat the dirty' mangy dog that named me Sue

Well' I knew that snake was my own sweet dad

From a worn out picture that my mother'd had'

And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye

He was big and bent and gray and old'

And I looked at him and my blood ran cold

And I said

How do you do

My name is Sue

Now your gonna die

Well' I hit him hard right between the eyes

And he went down' but to my surprise'

He come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear

But I busted a chair right across his teeth

And we crashed through the wall and into the street

Kicking and a' gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer

I tell ya' I've fought tougher men

But I really can't remember when'

He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile

I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss'

He went for his gun and I pulled mine first'

He stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile

And he said

Son' this world is rough

And if a man's gonna make it' he's gotta be tough

And I knew I wouldn't be there to help ya along

Now I give ya that name and I said goodbye

I knew that you'd have to get tough or die

And it's the name that helped to make you strong

Now you just fought one hell of a fight

And I know you hate me' and you got the right

To kill me now' and I wouldn't blame you if you do

But ya ought to thank me' before I die'

For the gravel in ya guts and the spit in ya eye

Cause I'm the dirty b**ch that named you Sue

Well what should I do what could I do

Up to down my gun my calling my pa'

And he called me his son'

And I came away with a different point of view

Well I think about him' never now and then'

Every time I try and every time I win'

And if I ever have a son

I think I'm gonna name him Bill John anything but Sue