Coward Of The County

Capo 3rd Fret(In a moderate country half-time)

[Verse]

A D A

Ev'ryone considered him the coward of the county.

E

He'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong.

A D A

His mama named him Tommy, the folks just called him yellow,

E A

but something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong.

A D A

He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison.

E

I looked after Tommy 'cause he was my brother's son.

A D A

I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy:

E A

"Son, my life is over, but yours is just begun.

[Chorus]

A D A

Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done.

D A E

Walk away from trouble if you can.

A D A

It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek.

D E

I hope you're old enough to understand:

E7 A

Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."

(Slide capo to 4th fret)

[Verse]

A D A

There's someone for ev'ryone and Tommy's love was

Becky.

E

In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man.

A D A

One day while he was workin' the Gatlin boys came callin'.

E (Spoken) A

They took turns at Becky.... There was three of them!

A D A

Tommy opened up the door and saw his Becky cryin'.

E

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.

E A

As his tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again:

[Chorus]

A D A

"Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done.

D A E

Walk away from trouble if you can.

A D A

It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek.

D E

I hope you're old enough to understand:

E7 A

Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."

(Slide capo to 5th fret)

[Verse]

A D A

The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the barroom.

E

One of them got up and met him halfway 'cross the

floor.

A D A

When Tommy turned around they said, "Hey look! ol' yellow's leavin'."

(Spoken) E A

But you coulda heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and blocked the door.

A D A

Twenty years of crawlin' was bottled up inside him.

E

He wasn't holdin' nothin' back; he let 'em have it all.

A D A

When Tommy left the barroom not a Gatlin boy was standin'.

E A

He said, "This one's for Becky," as he watched the last one fall.

(Spoken)

And I heard him say,

[Chorus]

A D A

"I promised you, Dad, not to do the things you done.

D A E

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,

D E

and Papa, I sure hope you understand:

E7 A

Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man."

A D N.C. A

Ev'ryone considered him the coward of the county.

when Tommy left the Bar room not a Gatlin boy was standin'

| |A7

He said this one's for Becky as he watched the last one fall