D G
1. Well, my daddy left home when I was three, and he didn't leave much to ma and me,
A D
just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze.
G
Now, I don't blame him cause he run and hid, but the meanest thing that he ever did
A D
was before he left, he went and named me "Sue.''
D
2. Well, he must have thought that is was quite a joke,
G
and it got a lot of laughs from a lot of folk,
A D
it seems I had to fight my whole life through.
G
Some gal would giggle and I'd get red, and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head,
A D
I tell you, life ain't easy for a boy named "Sue.''
D G
3. Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean, my fists got hard and my wits got keen,
A D
I'd roam from town to town to hide my shame.
G
But I made me a vow to the moon and stars, that I'd search the honky-tonks and bars,
A D
and kill that man that give me that awful name.
D G
4. Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July, and I`d just hit town and my throat was dry,
A D
I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew.
G
At an old saloon on a street of mud, there at a table, dealing stud,
A D
sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me "Sue.''
D
5. Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad
G
from a worn-out picture that my mother'd had,
A D
and I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye.
G
He was big and fat and gray and old, and I looked at him and my blood ran cold,
A D
and I said, "My name is Sue! How do you do! Now you`re gonna die!!''
A BOY NAMED SUE 2
D G
6. Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes, and he went down but to my surprise
A D
he come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear.
G
But I busted a chair right across his teeth, and we crashed through the wall and
A D
into the street, kicking and a' gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer.
D G
7. I tell you, I've fought tougher men, but I really can't remember when,
A D
he kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile.
G
I heard him laugh and then I heard him curse, he went for his gun and I pulled mine first,
A D
he stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile.
D G
8. And he said: `"Son, this world is rough, and if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be
A D
tough, and I know I wouldn't be there to help you along.
G
So I give you that name and I said goodbye, I knew you'd have to get tough or die,
A D
and it's that name that helped to make you strong.''
D
9. Yeah, he said: "Now you just fought one helluva fight,
G
and I know you hate me, and you got the right
A D
to kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do.
G
But you ought to thank me, before I die, for the gravel in your guts and the spit
A D
in your eye, ` cause I'm the fucking man that named you "Sue"."
D G
10 . I got all choked up and I threw down my gun, called him my pa,
A D
and he called me his son, and I come away with a different point of view.
G
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
D G D
Bill, George, anything but Sue! 