G
My daddy left home when I was three
C
And he didn't leave much to Ma and me
D G
Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze
G
Now I don't blame him cause he run and hid
C
But the meanest thing that he ever did
D G
Was before he left he went and named me 'Sue '
Well he must o' thought that is was quite a joke
And it got a lot of laughs from a' lots of folk
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 '
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 me a vow to the moon and stars
That I'd search the honky-tonks and bars
And kill that man that give me that awful name
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 '
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 gonna die
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 teeth
And we crashed through the wall and into the street
Kicking and a' gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer
I tell ya 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
And he said Son this world is rough
And if a man's gonna make it he's gotta be tough
And I know I wouldn't be there to help ya along
So I give ya that name and I said good-bye
I knew you'd have to get tough or die
And it's that name that helped to make you strong
He said 'Now you just fought one hell of a fight
And I know you hate me and you got the right
To kill 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
Cause I'm the son-of-a-bitch that named you 'Sue' '
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 come 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