Coward Of The County

C                F
Everyone considered him the coward of the county
 C                              G    G
He never stood one single time to prove the county wrong
  C             F             C
His mama named him Tommy, the folks just called him yellow
  C                     G        C
But someting always told me they were reading Tommy wrong
C                     F        C
He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison
C                             G G
I looked after Tommy cause he was my brother's son
  C                        F         C
I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy
C                 G        C
"Son my life is over but yours is just begun"
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"Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done
C                 G
Walk away from trouble if you can
C                     F
It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
  C                   G
I hope you're old enough to understand
  G                     C
Son you don't have to fight to be a man"
    D               G          D
There's someone for everyone and Tommy's love was Becky
                             A
In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man
  D                 G           D
One day while he was working, the Gatlin boys came callin'
                      A      D
They took turns at Becky, there was three of them
D               G         D
Tommy opened up the door and saw his Becky cryin'
                                    A
The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand
 D                       G           D
He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy's picture
                            A           D
As his tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again
              G              D
"Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done
                  A
Walk away from trouble if you can
D                     G         D
It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
                     A
I hope you're old enough to understand
                      D
Son you don't have to fight to be a man"
                           G          D
The Gatlin Boys just laughed at him when he walked into the bar room
                             A
One of them got up and met him halfway 'cross the floor
  D                    G            D
When Tommy turned areound they said,  Hey look ol' yellow's leavin'
                          A             D
But you coulda heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and blocked the door
                  G       D
Twenty years of crawling was bottled up inside him
                               A
He wasn't holding nothin' back he let 'em have it all
  D                  G         D
When Tommy left the bar room not a Gatlin boy was standin'
                        A             D
He said this one's for Becky," as he watched the last one fall
(And I heard him say)
                G           D
I promised you Dad not to do the things you done
                    A
I walk away from trouble when I can
  D                        G         D
Now please don't think I'm weak I didn't turn the other cheek
                   A
And Poppa, I sure hope you understand
                        D
Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man
                G         D
Everyone considered him the coward of the county