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johnny cash – a boy named sue (live) lyrics

[verse 1]
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 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.”

[verse 2]
well, he must’ve thought that is quite a joke
and it got a lot of laughs from a’ lots of folks
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.”

[verse 3]
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 k!ll that man who gave me that awful name

[verse 4]
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.”
[verse 5]
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 you’re going to die!!”

[verse 6]
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 t++th
and we crashed through the wall and into the street
kicking and a’ gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer

[verse 7]
i tell you, 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

[verse 8]
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
[verse 9]
he said: “now you just fought one h+ll of a fight
and i know you hate me, and you got the right
to k!ll 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
because i’m the son+of+a+b+tch that named you sue

[verse 10]
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
bill or george! anything but sue! i still hate that name!

- johnny cash lyrics

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