A Boy Named Sue (Live at San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, CA - February 1969) Chords
Tempo:
102.65 bpm
Chords used:
Bb
F
Eb
C
Bbm
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
Well, my daddy left home when I was three and he didn't [Eb] leave much to ma and me, [F] just
this old guitar and an empty bottle of [Bb] booze.
Now, I don't blame him because he run and hid, but [Eb] the meanest thing that he ever did
was before he left, he went and named [Bb] me Sue.
Well, he must have thought that it was quite [C] a joke and it got a lot [Eb] of laughs from a lot of folks.
[F] It seems I had to fight my whole [Bb] life through.
Some gal would giggle and I'd get red [Eb] and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head.
[F] I'll tell you, life ain't easy for a boy [Bb] named Sue.
Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean.
[Eb] My fists got hard and my wits got keen, [F]
roamed from town to town to hide [Bb] my shame.
But I made me a vow to the moon and [Eb] stars, I'd search the honks and honks and [F] bars and
kill that man that gave me that [Bb] awful name.
Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July [Eb] and I'd just hit town and my throat was [F] dry.
I thought I'd stop and have [Bb] myself a brew.
I had an old saloon on a [Eb] street of mud, there at the table dealing [F] stud, sat the dirty manger
dog that [Bb] named me Sue.
Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet [Eb] dad from a worn out picture that my mother'd [F] had
and I knew that scar on his cheek [Bb] and his evil eye.
[Bbm] He was big and bent and gray and [Eb] old and I looked at him and my blood ran [F] cold and I
said, my name is Sue.
How do you do?
[Bb] Now you're gonna die.
Yeah, that's what I told him.
Well, I hit him hard right between the [Eb] eyes and he went down but to my [F] surprise, he'd
come up with a knife and cut off [Bb] a piece of my ear.
Well, I busted a chair right across his [Eb] teeth and we crashed through the wall and into the
[F] street, kicking and a gouging in the mud and [Bb] the blood and the beer.
I tell you, I fought tougher men but I really can't remember [F] when.
He kicked like a mule and he bit like a [Bb] crocodile.
I heard him laugh and then I heard [Eb] him cuss and he went for his gun and I pulled mine [F] first.
He stood there looking at me [Bb] and I saw him smile.
He said, son, this world is rough and if a man's gonna make it, he's [F] gotta be tough and
I know I wouldn't be there [Bb] to help you along.
So I give you that name and I said [Eb] goodbye.
I knew you'd have to get [Bb] tough or die [F] and it's that name that helped to make you [Bb] strong.
Yeah.
He said, now you just fought one hell of a fight and I know you hate me [Eb] and 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 [Eb] die for the gravel in your guts and the spit in your
[F] eye cause I'm the son of a bitch that [Bb] named you Sue.
Yeah, well what could I do?
What could I do?
[Eb] I got all choked [F] up and I threw down my gun, called him a [Bb] pawn, he called me his son [F] and
I come away with [Bb] a different point of view.
[F] And [Bb] I think about him now and [Eb] then every time I try and every time I win.
[B] And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna name him Bill or George, any damn [Bb] thing but Sue.
I still hate that name.
[N]
this old guitar and an empty bottle of [Bb] booze.
Now, I don't blame him because he run and hid, but [Eb] the meanest thing that he ever did
was before he left, he went and named [Bb] me Sue.
Well, he must have thought that it was quite [C] a joke and it got a lot [Eb] of laughs from a lot of folks.
[F] It seems I had to fight my whole [Bb] life through.
Some gal would giggle and I'd get red [Eb] and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head.
[F] I'll tell you, life ain't easy for a boy [Bb] named Sue.
Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean.
[Eb] My fists got hard and my wits got keen, [F]
roamed from town to town to hide [Bb] my shame.
But I made me a vow to the moon and [Eb] stars, I'd search the honks and honks and [F] bars and
kill that man that gave me that [Bb] awful name.
Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July [Eb] and I'd just hit town and my throat was [F] dry.
I thought I'd stop and have [Bb] myself a brew.
I had an old saloon on a [Eb] street of mud, there at the table dealing [F] stud, sat the dirty manger
dog that [Bb] named me Sue.
Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet [Eb] dad from a worn out picture that my mother'd [F] had
and I knew that scar on his cheek [Bb] and his evil eye.
[Bbm] He was big and bent and gray and [Eb] old and I looked at him and my blood ran [F] cold and I
said, my name is Sue.
How do you do?
[Bb] Now you're gonna die.
Yeah, that's what I told him.
Well, I hit him hard right between the [Eb] eyes and he went down but to my [F] surprise, he'd
come up with a knife and cut off [Bb] a piece of my ear.
Well, I busted a chair right across his [Eb] teeth and we crashed through the wall and into the
[F] street, kicking and a gouging in the mud and [Bb] the blood and the beer.
I tell you, I fought tougher men but I really can't remember [F] when.
He kicked like a mule and he bit like a [Bb] crocodile.
I heard him laugh and then I heard [Eb] him cuss and he went for his gun and I pulled mine [F] first.
He stood there looking at me [Bb] and I saw him smile.
He said, son, this world is rough and if a man's gonna make it, he's [F] gotta be tough and
I know I wouldn't be there [Bb] to help you along.
So I give you that name and I said [Eb] goodbye.
I knew you'd have to get [Bb] tough or die [F] and it's that name that helped to make you [Bb] strong.
Yeah.
He said, now you just fought one hell of a fight and I know you hate me [Eb] and 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 [Eb] die for the gravel in your guts and the spit in your
[F] eye cause I'm the son of a bitch that [Bb] named you Sue.
Yeah, well what could I do?
What could I do?
[Eb] I got all choked [F] up and I threw down my gun, called him a [Bb] pawn, he called me his son [F] and
I come away with [Bb] a different point of view.
[F] And [Bb] I think about him now and [Eb] then every time I try and every time I win.
[B] And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna name him Bill or George, any damn [Bb] thing but Sue.
I still hate that name.
[N]
Key:
Bb
F
Eb
C
Bbm
Bb
F
Eb
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
Well, my daddy left home when I was three and he didn't [Eb] leave much to ma and me, [F] just
this old guitar and an empty bottle of [Bb] booze. _
Now, I don't blame him because he run and hid, but [Eb] the meanest thing that he ever did
was before he left, he went and named [Bb] me Sue. _ _
_ Well, he must have thought that it was quite [C] a joke and it got a lot [Eb] of laughs from a lot of folks.
[F] It seems I had to fight my whole [Bb] life through.
_ Some gal would giggle and I'd get red [Eb] and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head.
[F] I'll tell you, life ain't easy for a boy [Bb] named Sue.
_ _ _ _ _ _ Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean.
[Eb] My fists got hard and my wits got keen, [F]
roamed from town to town to hide [Bb] my shame.
_ But I made me a vow to the moon and [Eb] stars, I'd search the honks and honks and [F] bars and
kill that man that gave me that [Bb] awful name.
_ _ Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July [Eb] and I'd just hit town and my throat was [F] dry.
I thought I'd stop and have [Bb] myself a brew.
_ I had an old saloon on a [Eb] street of mud, there at the table dealing [F] stud, sat the dirty manger
dog that [Bb] named me Sue.
_ Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet [Eb] dad from a worn out picture that my mother'd [F] had
and I knew that scar on his cheek [Bb] and his evil eye.
_ [Bbm] He was big and bent and gray and [Eb] old and I looked at him and my blood ran [F] cold and I
said, my name is Sue.
How do you do?
[Bb] Now you're gonna die.
_ _ Yeah, that's what I told him.
_ Well, I hit him hard right between the [Eb] eyes and he went down but to my [F] surprise, he'd
come up with a knife and cut off [Bb] a piece of my ear.
_ Well, I busted a chair right across his [Eb] teeth and we crashed through the wall and into the
[F] street, kicking and a gouging in the mud and [Bb] the blood and the beer.
_ _ I tell you, I fought tougher men but I really can't remember [F] when.
He kicked like a mule and he bit like a [Bb] crocodile.
_ _ I heard him laugh and then I heard [Eb] him cuss and he went for his gun and I pulled mine [F] first.
He stood there looking at me [Bb] and I saw him smile.
He said, son, _ this world is rough and if a man's gonna make it, he's [F] gotta be tough and
I know I wouldn't be there [Bb] to help you along.
_ So I give you that name and I said [Eb] goodbye.
I knew you'd have to get [Bb] tough or die [F] and it's that name that helped to make you [Bb] strong.
_ _ Yeah.
He said, now you just fought one hell of a fight and I know you hate me [Eb] and 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 [Eb] die for the gravel in your guts and the spit in your
[F] eye cause I'm the son of a bitch that [Bb] named you Sue.
_ Yeah, well what could I do?
What could I do?
[Eb] I got all choked [F] up and I threw down my gun, called him a [Bb] pawn, he called me his son [F] and
I come away with [Bb] a different point of view.
[F] _ And [Bb] I think about him now and [Eb] then every time I try and every time I win.
[B] And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna name him Bill or George, any damn [Bb] thing but Sue.
I still hate that name. _ _
_ _ [N] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Well, my daddy left home when I was three and he didn't [Eb] leave much to ma and me, [F] just
this old guitar and an empty bottle of [Bb] booze. _
Now, I don't blame him because he run and hid, but [Eb] the meanest thing that he ever did
was before he left, he went and named [Bb] me Sue. _ _
_ Well, he must have thought that it was quite [C] a joke and it got a lot [Eb] of laughs from a lot of folks.
[F] It seems I had to fight my whole [Bb] life through.
_ Some gal would giggle and I'd get red [Eb] and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head.
[F] I'll tell you, life ain't easy for a boy [Bb] named Sue.
_ _ _ _ _ _ Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean.
[Eb] My fists got hard and my wits got keen, [F]
roamed from town to town to hide [Bb] my shame.
_ But I made me a vow to the moon and [Eb] stars, I'd search the honks and honks and [F] bars and
kill that man that gave me that [Bb] awful name.
_ _ Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July [Eb] and I'd just hit town and my throat was [F] dry.
I thought I'd stop and have [Bb] myself a brew.
_ I had an old saloon on a [Eb] street of mud, there at the table dealing [F] stud, sat the dirty manger
dog that [Bb] named me Sue.
_ Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet [Eb] dad from a worn out picture that my mother'd [F] had
and I knew that scar on his cheek [Bb] and his evil eye.
_ [Bbm] He was big and bent and gray and [Eb] old and I looked at him and my blood ran [F] cold and I
said, my name is Sue.
How do you do?
[Bb] Now you're gonna die.
_ _ Yeah, that's what I told him.
_ Well, I hit him hard right between the [Eb] eyes and he went down but to my [F] surprise, he'd
come up with a knife and cut off [Bb] a piece of my ear.
_ Well, I busted a chair right across his [Eb] teeth and we crashed through the wall and into the
[F] street, kicking and a gouging in the mud and [Bb] the blood and the beer.
_ _ I tell you, I fought tougher men but I really can't remember [F] when.
He kicked like a mule and he bit like a [Bb] crocodile.
_ _ I heard him laugh and then I heard [Eb] him cuss and he went for his gun and I pulled mine [F] first.
He stood there looking at me [Bb] and I saw him smile.
He said, son, _ this world is rough and if a man's gonna make it, he's [F] gotta be tough and
I know I wouldn't be there [Bb] to help you along.
_ So I give you that name and I said [Eb] goodbye.
I knew you'd have to get [Bb] tough or die [F] and it's that name that helped to make you [Bb] strong.
_ _ Yeah.
He said, now you just fought one hell of a fight and I know you hate me [Eb] and 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 [Eb] die for the gravel in your guts and the spit in your
[F] eye cause I'm the son of a bitch that [Bb] named you Sue.
_ Yeah, well what could I do?
What could I do?
[Eb] I got all choked [F] up and I threw down my gun, called him a [Bb] pawn, he called me his son [F] and
I come away with [Bb] a different point of view.
[F] _ And [Bb] I think about him now and [Eb] then every time I try and every time I win.
[B] And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna name him Bill or George, any damn [Bb] thing but Sue.
I still hate that name. _ _
_ _ [N] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _