Chords for Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue (The Best Of The Johnny Cash TV Show)

_ _ _ _ _ Well, _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [Bb] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ my daddy left home when I was [Eb] three, didn't leave very much to my ma and [F] me, just
this old guitar and an empty [Bb] bottle of booze.
[F] _ _ [Bb] Now, I don't blame him cause he's running [Eb] ahead, but the meanest thing that my daddy
ever [F] did was before he left he went and [Bb] named me Sue.
_ Well, he must have thought that it was quite [Ebm] a joke and it got a lot of laughs from a lot of [F] folks.
Seems I had to fight my [Bb] whole life [F] through.
[Bb] Some gal would giggle and I'd turn red and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his [F] head.
I tell you life ain't easy for a [Bb] boy named Sluice.
_ But I grew up quick and I grew up [Eb] mean, my fists got hard, my wits got [F] keen, from town
to town to [Bb] hide my [F] shame.
But I made me a vow to the moon and [Eb] stars, I'd search the Hawky's Hawks and [F] barns until
that man had given me that [Bb] awful name.
Well, it was Gatlinburg in [Eb] mid-July and I'd just hit town and my throat was [F] dry, thought
I'd stop and have [Bb] myself a brew.
_ Had an old saloon on the street of [Eb] mud and there at the table, dealing [F] studs, said the
dirty man's dog had named [Bb] me Sue.
_ Well, I knew that snake was my old sweet dad from the one [Eb] apple that my mother had [F] had.
I knew that star on his cheek had his [Eb] evil [F] eye.
[Bb] He was big and dead and gray and old and I looked at him, blood ran [F] cold, I said, my
name is Sue. _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [C] _ [Bb] _ _
And I hit him hard right between [Eb] the eyes and he went down but to my [F] surprise, up with
a knife, cut off a [Bb] piece of my ear. _ _
Crunched to the chair right across his [Eb] teeth and we crashed through the wall, into the
[F] street, kicking and a gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer.
Well, I tell you I've fought tougher men [Eb] but I really can't remember when.
[F] Beating like a mule and a getting [Bb] like a crocodile.
_ [F] Well, [Bb] I heard him laughing and I heard him cussing, he reached for [Eb] his gun but a full
[F] mind first, stood there looking at me and [Bb] I saw him smile.
He said, son, [F] this world is rough and if a man's gonna [Eb] make it, he's gotta be tough.
And I knew I [F] wouldn't be there to help you along.
[F] _ [Bb] So I gave you that name and I said goodbye and I knew you'd have [Eb] to get tough or [F] die.
It's that name that'll help to make [Bb] you strong.
He said, now you just caused one hell [Eb] of a fight [Bbm] and I know you hate me.
[Eb] You got the right [F] to kill me now and I wouldn't blame you if [Bb] you do.
But you ought to thank me before I die for the gravel in your gut and the spit in your
eye, [F] cause I'm the son of a bitch that [Bb] named you Suit. _ _ _ _ _
What could I do?
Well, I got all choked up and I threw down [Eb] my gun and called him a pawn and he called
me a [F] son and I come away with a different [Bb] part of you.
[F] _ [Bb] And I think about it now and then [Eb] every time I try and every time I win, [F] if I ever have
a boy, I think I'm gonna name him John Carter.
That'll be [Bb] good. _ _