Coward Of The County

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Everyone considered him the coward of the county 
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He never stood one single time to prove the county wrong. 
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His mama named him Tommy, the folks just called him yellow 
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But someting always told me they were reading Tommy wrong 
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He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison 
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I looked after Tommy cause he was my brother's son 
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I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy 
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"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 


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Walk away from trouble if you can 
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It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek 
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I hope you're old enough to understand 
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Son you don't have to fight to be a man" 
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There's someone for everyone and Tommy's love was Becky 
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In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man 
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One day while he was working, the Gatlin boys came callin' 
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They took turns at Becky, there was three of them 
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Tommy opened up the door and saw his Becky cryin' 
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The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand 
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He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy's picture 
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As his tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again 
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"Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done 
                              A 
Walk away from trouble if you can 
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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" 
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The Gatlin Boys just laughed at him when he walked into the bar room 
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One of them got up and met him halfway 'cross the floor 
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When Tommy turned areound they said,  Hey look ol' yellow's leavin' 
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But you coulda heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and blocked the door 
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Twenty years of crawling was bottled up inside him 
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He wasn't holding nothin' back he let 'em have it all 
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When Tommy left the bar room not a Gatlin boy was standin' 
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He said this one's for Becky," as he watched the last one fall (And I heard him say) 
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I promised you Dad not to do the things you done 
                                A 
I walk away from trouble when I can 
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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