A Boy Named Sue

A Boy Named Sue - Hit Co. Masters

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 don'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 o' 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: My name is Sue!

How do you do!

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.

So I give ya that name

And I said goodbye

I knew you'd have

To get tough or die

And it's the name that

Helped to make you strong.

He said: "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 son-of-a-*****

That named you "Sue.'"

I got all choked up

And I threw down my gun

And I called him my pa

And he called me his son

And I came away with

A different point of view.

And I think about him

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