Well my daddy left home when I was three And he didn't leave much to Ma and me Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze Now I don't blame him because he run and hid But the meanest thing that he ever did Was before he left he went and named me Sue
Well he must have thought it was quite a joke And it got lots of laughs from a lot of folks 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 ye 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 Roamed from town to town to hide my shame But I made me 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 Gatlinsburg in mid July And I just hit town and my throat was dry I'd 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 that dirty mangy dog that named me Sue
Well I knew that sneak was my own sweet dad From a wornout picture that my mother 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're 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 surprice He got 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 Kickin' and a gougin' in the mud and the blood and the beer
I tell you I've fought tougher men But I really can't remember when He kicked like a mule and bit like a crocodile I heard him laughin' and I heard him cussin' He went for his gun and I pulled mine first He stood there looking at me and I saw him smile
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 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 have just fought one helluva fight And I know you hate me and you've 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 guts and the spit in your eye Because I'm the son of a bitch that named you Sue
Yeah what could I do what could I do I got all choked up and I threw down my gun Called him Pa and he called me son And I come away with a different point of view And I think about him now and then Every time I tried every time I win And if I ever have a son I think I'm gonna name him Bill or George anything but Sue
