Coward Of The County - Kenny Rogers
[A] [A]
A D A
Everyone considered him the coward of the county
E7
He'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong.
A D A
His mama named him Tommy, but folks just called him yellow,
E7 A
Something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong.
A D A
He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison;
E7
I took care of Tommy, 'cause he was my brother's son.
A D A
I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy,
E7 A
"Son my life is over, but yours has just begun".
A D A
"Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done
D A E7
Walk away from trouble if you can.
A D A
It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
A D E7
I hope you're old enough to understand,
E7 A
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."
A D A
There's someone for everyone, and Tommy's love was Becky.
A E7
In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man.
A D A
One day while he was working, the Gatlin boys came calling
E7 A
They took turns at Becky, (n' there was three of them).
A D A
Tommy opened up the door, and saw Becky crying.
E7
The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand.
A D A
He reached above the fireplace, and took down his daddy's picture.
E7 A
As the tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again
A D A
"Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done
D A E7
Walk away from trouble if you can.
A D A
It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
A D E7
I hope you're old enough to understand,
E7 A
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."
A D A
The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the barroom;
E7
One of them got up and met him half way cross the floor.
A D A
When Tommy turned around they said, "Hey look! old yeller's leaving,"
E7 A
But you could've heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and locked the door.
A D A
Twenty years of crawling were bottled up inside him.
E7
He wasn't holding nothing back - he let 'em have it all.
A D A
When Tommy left the bar room, not a Gatlin boy was standing.
A E7 A
He said, "This one's for Becky, as he watched the last one fall. (And I heard him say,)
A D A
"I promised you, Dad, not to do the things you've done
D A E7
I walk away from trouble when I can
A D A
Now please don't think I'm weak, I didn't turn the other cheek,
A D E7
And papa, I sure hope you understand
E7 A
Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man".
A D A
Everyone considered him the coward of the county.