A Boy Named Sue

Well, my daddy left home when I was three

And he didn't leave much to ma and me

Just this ole guitar and an empty bottle of booze.

Now I don't blame him 'cause he run and hid

But the meanest thing that he ever did

Was before he left he went and named me Sue.

Well, he musta thought that it was quite a joke

An' it got a lot of laughs from lots a folks

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'll 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 roamed from town to town to hide my shame.

But I made me a vow to the moon and stars

I'd search the honky-tonks and bars

And kill that man that gave me that awful name.

Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July

And I'd just hit town and my throat was dry

I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew.

In an old saloon on a street of mud

There at a table dealin' 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 had

And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye.

He was big and bent and grey 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!"

Yeah! That's what I told him.

Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes

And he went down but to my surprise

Came up with a knife an' cut off a piece o' my ear.

I busted a chair right across his teeth

And we crashed through the wall and into the street

Kickin' and a gougin' 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.

Well, I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss

He went for his gun but I pulled mine first

He stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile.

[02:32.94]And if a man's gonna make it he's gotta be tough

And I know I wouldn't be there to help you along.

So I gave you that name and I said goodbye

I knew you'd have to get tough or die

And it's that name that helped to make you strong."

Yeah! He said, "Now you just fought one hell of a fight

And I know you hate me and ya got the right

To kill me now and I wouldn't blame you if you do.

But you oughta thank me before I die

For the gravel in your gut and the spit in the eye

'Cause I'm the son-of-a-***** that named you Sue."

Yeah, what could I do? What COULD I do?

I got all choked up and threw down my gun

Called him my pa and he called me his son

And I came 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!