Chords for Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue
Tempo:
105.05 bpm
Chords used:
A
E
D
B
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
Well, my daddy left home when I was [A] three, didn't leave very much to my mama and [E] me except this old guitar and an empty [A] bottle of booze.
[E] Now, I don't blame [A] him cause he'd run and hid, [D] but the meanest thing my daddy ever did [E] was before he left he went and named [A] me Sue.
He must have thought that it was quite a joke [D] and it got a lot of laugh from a lot of the folks.
[E] Seems I had to fight my whole [A] life through.
[E] [A] Some gal would giggle and I'd turn red [D] and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust a zit.
[E] I'll tell you, life ain't easy for a boy [A] named Sue.
But I grew up quick and I grew up mean.
[D] My fist got hard, my wits got keen.
[E] I'd run from town to town to hide [A] my shame.
[E] [A] But I made me about to the moon and stars.
[D] I'd search the honky-tonks and bars [E] and kill that man that gave me that awful [A] name.
Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July and [D] I just hit town and my throat was dry.
[E] Thought I'd stop and have myself [A] a brew.
[B] At an old saloon on the street of [D] mud, there at the table dealing stuff, [E] sat the dirty mangy dog and named [A] me Sue.
Well, I knew that snake was my old sweet dad [D] from a worn out picture that my mother had.
[E] He had that scar on his cheek and his [A] evil eye.
[E] [A] He was big and bent and gray and old [D] and I looked at him and my blood ran cold and [E] I said,
My name is Sue.
How do you do?
Now you're gonna die.
[A]
Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes and he went down [D] but to my surprise, [E] come up with a knife and cut off a piece [A] of my ear.
[E]
[A] Then I busted a chair right across the street and [D] we crashed into the wall, hit the street, [E] kicking in the gouging in the mud and the [A] blood and the beer.
Well, I tell you, I fought tougher men [D] but I really can't remember when.
[E] He kicked like a wee-lenny bit like a [A] crocodile.
[E]
[A] I heard him laughing and I heard him cuss [D] and he reaped for his gun but I pulled mine first.
[E] I stood there looking at him and I [A] saw him smile and he said, Son, this world is rough and if a man's gonna make [D] it, he's gotta be tough.
And I knew I [E] wouldn't be there to help [A] you along.
[E] So [A] I gave you that name and I said goodbye [D] and I knew you'd have to get tough or die.
[E] It's that name that'll help to make [A] you strong.
[E] [A] He said, Now you just fought one heck of a fight [D] and I know you hate me and you got the right [E] to kill me now and I wouldn't blame you [A] if you do.
[E] But [A] you ought to thank me before I [D] die for the gravel in your gut and the spit in your eye, [E] cause I'm the f**k that [A] named you Sue.
What can I do?
I got all choked up and I threw down the [D] gun and I called him a pawn.
He called me his [E] son.
Come away with a different [A] point of view.
And I think about it now and [D] then every time I try and every time I [E] win and if I ever have a boy I'll name him Bill or George or Frank, anything but Sue.
Catch a roll.
[A] Take
[E] Now, I don't blame [A] him cause he'd run and hid, [D] but the meanest thing my daddy ever did [E] was before he left he went and named [A] me Sue.
He must have thought that it was quite a joke [D] and it got a lot of laugh from a lot of the folks.
[E] Seems I had to fight my whole [A] life through.
[E] [A] Some gal would giggle and I'd turn red [D] and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust a zit.
[E] I'll tell you, life ain't easy for a boy [A] named Sue.
But I grew up quick and I grew up mean.
[D] My fist got hard, my wits got keen.
[E] I'd run from town to town to hide [A] my shame.
[E] [A] But I made me about to the moon and stars.
[D] I'd search the honky-tonks and bars [E] and kill that man that gave me that awful [A] name.
Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July and [D] I just hit town and my throat was dry.
[E] Thought I'd stop and have myself [A] a brew.
[B] At an old saloon on the street of [D] mud, there at the table dealing stuff, [E] sat the dirty mangy dog and named [A] me Sue.
Well, I knew that snake was my old sweet dad [D] from a worn out picture that my mother had.
[E] He had that scar on his cheek and his [A] evil eye.
[E] [A] He was big and bent and gray and old [D] and I looked at him and my blood ran cold and [E] I said,
My name is Sue.
How do you do?
Now you're gonna die.
[A]
Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes and he went down [D] but to my surprise, [E] come up with a knife and cut off a piece [A] of my ear.
[E]
[A] Then I busted a chair right across the street and [D] we crashed into the wall, hit the street, [E] kicking in the gouging in the mud and the [A] blood and the beer.
Well, I tell you, I fought tougher men [D] but I really can't remember when.
[E] He kicked like a wee-lenny bit like a [A] crocodile.
[E]
[A] I heard him laughing and I heard him cuss [D] and he reaped for his gun but I pulled mine first.
[E] I stood there looking at him and I [A] saw him smile and he said, Son, this world is rough and if a man's gonna make [D] it, he's gotta be tough.
And I knew I [E] wouldn't be there to help [A] you along.
[E] So [A] I gave you that name and I said goodbye [D] and I knew you'd have to get tough or die.
[E] It's that name that'll help to make [A] you strong.
[E] [A] He said, Now you just fought one heck of a fight [D] and I know you hate me and you got the right [E] to kill me now and I wouldn't blame you [A] if you do.
[E] But [A] you ought to thank me before I [D] die for the gravel in your gut and the spit in your eye, [E] cause I'm the f**k that [A] named you Sue.
What can I do?
I got all choked up and I threw down the [D] gun and I called him a pawn.
He called me his [E] son.
Come away with a different [A] point of view.
And I think about it now and [D] then every time I try and every time I [E] win and if I ever have a boy I'll name him Bill or George or Frank, anything but Sue.
Catch a roll.
[A] Take
Key:
A
E
D
B
A
E
D
B
_ _ _ _ _ Well, my daddy left home when I was [A] three, didn't leave very much to my mama and [E] me except this old guitar and an empty [A] bottle of booze.
[E] _ Now, I don't blame [A] him cause he'd run and hid, [D] but the meanest thing my daddy ever did [E] was before he left he went and named [A] me Sue.
_ He must have thought that it was quite a joke [D] and it got a lot of laugh from a lot of the folks.
[E] Seems I had to fight my whole [A] life through.
[E] _ [A] Some gal would giggle and I'd turn red [D] and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust a zit.
[E] I'll tell you, life ain't easy for a boy [A] named Sue.
_ But I grew up quick and I grew up mean.
[D] My fist got hard, my wits got keen.
[E] I'd run from town to town to hide [A] my shame.
[E] _ [A] But I made me about to the moon and stars.
[D] I'd search the honky-tonks and bars [E] and kill that man that gave me that awful [A] name.
_ Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July and [D] I just hit town and my throat was dry.
[E] Thought I'd stop and have myself [A] a brew.
_ [B] At an old saloon on the street of [D] mud, there at the table dealing stuff, [E] sat the dirty mangy dog and named [A] me Sue.
_ _ Well, I knew that snake was my old sweet dad [D] from a worn out picture that my mother had.
[E] He had that scar on his cheek and his [A] evil eye.
[E] _ [A] He was big and bent and gray and old [D] and I looked at him and my blood ran cold and [E] I said,
My name is Sue.
How do you do?
Now you're gonna die.
_ _ [A] _ _ _
Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes and he went down [D] but to my surprise, [E] come up with a knife and cut off a piece [A] of my ear.
[E] _
[A] Then I busted a chair right across the street and [D] we crashed into the wall, hit the street, [E] kicking in the gouging in the mud and the [A] blood and the beer.
Well, I tell you, I fought tougher men [D] but I really can't remember when.
[E] He kicked like a wee-lenny bit like a [A] crocodile.
_ [E] _
[A] I heard him laughing and I heard him cuss [D] and he reaped for his gun but I pulled mine first.
[E] I stood there looking at him and I [A] saw him smile and he said, Son, this world is rough and if a man's gonna make [D] it, he's gotta be tough.
And I knew I [E] wouldn't be there to help [A] you along.
[E] So [A] I gave you that name and I said goodbye [D] and I knew you'd have to get tough or die.
[E] It's that name that'll help to make [A] you strong.
[E] _ [A] He said, Now you just fought one heck of a fight [D] and I know you hate me and you got the right [E] to kill me now and I wouldn't blame you [A] if you do.
_ [E] But [A] you ought to thank me before I [D] die for the gravel in your gut and the spit in your eye, [E] cause I'm the f**k that [A] named you Sue.
_ What can I do?
I got all choked up and I threw down the [D] gun and I called him a pawn.
He called me his [E] son.
Come away with a different [A] point of view.
_ And I think about it now and [D] then every time I try and every time I [E] win and if I ever have a boy I'll name him Bill or George or Frank, anything but Sue.
Catch a roll.
[A] Take
[E] _ Now, I don't blame [A] him cause he'd run and hid, [D] but the meanest thing my daddy ever did [E] was before he left he went and named [A] me Sue.
_ He must have thought that it was quite a joke [D] and it got a lot of laugh from a lot of the folks.
[E] Seems I had to fight my whole [A] life through.
[E] _ [A] Some gal would giggle and I'd turn red [D] and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust a zit.
[E] I'll tell you, life ain't easy for a boy [A] named Sue.
_ But I grew up quick and I grew up mean.
[D] My fist got hard, my wits got keen.
[E] I'd run from town to town to hide [A] my shame.
[E] _ [A] But I made me about to the moon and stars.
[D] I'd search the honky-tonks and bars [E] and kill that man that gave me that awful [A] name.
_ Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July and [D] I just hit town and my throat was dry.
[E] Thought I'd stop and have myself [A] a brew.
_ [B] At an old saloon on the street of [D] mud, there at the table dealing stuff, [E] sat the dirty mangy dog and named [A] me Sue.
_ _ Well, I knew that snake was my old sweet dad [D] from a worn out picture that my mother had.
[E] He had that scar on his cheek and his [A] evil eye.
[E] _ [A] He was big and bent and gray and old [D] and I looked at him and my blood ran cold and [E] I said,
My name is Sue.
How do you do?
Now you're gonna die.
_ _ [A] _ _ _
Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes and he went down [D] but to my surprise, [E] come up with a knife and cut off a piece [A] of my ear.
[E] _
[A] Then I busted a chair right across the street and [D] we crashed into the wall, hit the street, [E] kicking in the gouging in the mud and the [A] blood and the beer.
Well, I tell you, I fought tougher men [D] but I really can't remember when.
[E] He kicked like a wee-lenny bit like a [A] crocodile.
_ [E] _
[A] I heard him laughing and I heard him cuss [D] and he reaped for his gun but I pulled mine first.
[E] I stood there looking at him and I [A] saw him smile and he said, Son, this world is rough and if a man's gonna make [D] it, he's gotta be tough.
And I knew I [E] wouldn't be there to help [A] you along.
[E] So [A] I gave you that name and I said goodbye [D] and I knew you'd have to get tough or die.
[E] It's that name that'll help to make [A] you strong.
[E] _ [A] He said, Now you just fought one heck of a fight [D] and I know you hate me and you got the right [E] to kill me now and I wouldn't blame you [A] if you do.
_ [E] But [A] you ought to thank me before I [D] die for the gravel in your gut and the spit in your eye, [E] cause I'm the f**k that [A] named you Sue.
_ What can I do?
I got all choked up and I threw down the [D] gun and I called him a pawn.
He called me his [E] son.
Come away with a different [A] point of view.
_ And I think about it now and [D] then every time I try and every time I [E] win and if I ever have a boy I'll name him Bill or George or Frank, anything but Sue.
Catch a roll.
[A] Take