A Boy Named Sue-Todd Snider

[00:10.93]Well my daddy left home when I was three [00:13.63]And he didn't leave much to ma and me [00:16.18]Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze [00:21.35]Now I don't blame him cause he run and hid [00:24.28]But the meanest thing that he ever did [00:26.56]Was before he left he went and named me Sue [00:32.17]He must o' thought that is quite a joke [00:34.61]And it got a lot of laughs from a lots of folk [00:37.44]It seems I had to fight my whole life through [00:42.35]Some gal would giggle and I'd get red [00:45.16]And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head [00:47.74]I tell you life ain't easy for a boy named Sue [00:52.95]Well I grew up quick and I grew up mean [00:55.72]My fist got hard and my wits got keen [00:58.47]I'd roam from town to town to hide my shame [01:03.42]But I made a vow to the moon and stars [01:06.24]That I'd search the honky tonks and bars [01:08.74]And kill that man who gave me that awful name [01:13.94]Well it was Gatlinburg in mid July [01:16.86]And I just hit town and my throat was dry [01:19.53]I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew [01:24.71]At an old saloon on a street of mud [01:27.52]There at a table dealing stud [01:30.17]Sat the dirty mangy dog that named me Sue [01:35.20]Well I knew that snake was my own sweet dad [01:37.89]From a worn-out picture that my mother'd had [01:40.50]And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye [01:45.63]He was big and bent and gray and old [01:48.45]And I looked at him and my blood ran cold [01:51.31]And I said my name is Sue how do you do [01:55.24]Now your gonna die ha that's what I told him [02:01.39]Well I hit him hard right between the eyes [02:04.67]And he went down but to my surprise [02:07.01]He come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear [02:11.98]But I busted a chair right across his teeth [02:14.70]And we crashed through the wall and into the street [02:17.59]Kicking and a gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer [02:22.80]I tell you I've fought tougher men [02:25.41]But I really can't remember when [02:28.09]He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile [02:33.44]I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss [02:35.95]He went for his gun and I pulled mine first [02:38.55]He stood there looking at me and I saw him smile [02:43.56]And he said son this world is rough [02:46.50]And if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough [02:49.13]And I knew I wouldn't be there to help you along. [02:54.33]So I give you that name and I said goodbye [02:56.89]I knew you'd have to get tough or die [02:59.88]And it's the name that helped to make you strong [03:04.71]He said you just fought one hell of a fight [03:07.73]And I know you hate me and you got the right [03:10.34]To kill me now and I wouldn't blame you if you do [03:15.14]But you ought to thank me before I die [03:18.14]For the gravel in ya guts and the spit in you eye [03:20.78]Cause I'm the son of a b**ch that named you Sue [03:25.06]What could I do [03:26.10]I got all choked up and I threw down my gun [03:29.01]And I called him my pa and he called me his son, [03:31.45]And I came away with a different point of view [03:36.46]And I think about him now and then [03:39.15]Every time I try and every time I win [03:41.71]And if I ever have a son I think I'm gonna name him [03:45.69]Bill or George Anything but Sue [03:51.24]