Chords for Johnny Cash - Boy Named Sue (From "A Concert Behind Prison Walls" DVD)

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Well, my daddy left home when I was three.
[Eb] He didn't leave, and I went to the _
[F] road to Parliament.
Went to [Bb] Parliament Beach.
_ [F] _
[Bb] Now, I don't blame him, because he's running his.
[Eb] But the meanest thing that my daddy ever did [F] was,
before he left, he went and named [Bb] me Sue. _
Well, he must have thought that it was quite a joke,
[Eb] and it got a lot of laughs from lots of folks.
[F] Seems I had to fight my whole [Bb] life through. _
Some gal would giggle, and I'd turn red.
[Eb] And some guy'd laugh, and I'd bust his head.
But [F] I tell you, life ain't easy for a boy [Bb] named Sue. _
But I grew up quick, and I grew up mean.
[Eb] My fists got hard, my wits got keen.
[F] I'd roam from town to town to hide [Bb] my shame.
[F] _
[Bb] But I made me a vow to the moon and [Eb] stars.
I'd search the haunts of Thompson [F] Barge
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.
Thought I'd stop and have [Bb] myself a brew. _
Had an old saloon on the street of [Eb] mud.
There the table dealing [F] studded.
Said the dirty-maiden dog had named [Bb] me Sue. _
Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad
from the worn-out picture that my mother had.
[F] He had that scar on his cheek and [Bb] his beagle eye. _
He was big and bent and gray and [Eb] old,
and I looked at him and my blood ran [F] cold.
I said, my name is Sue.
How do you do?
Now you're gonna die. _ _ _
[Bb] _ _ _ Well, I hit him hard right between the [Eb] eyes,
and he went down, but the knife [F] pried.
Come up with a knife and cut off a [Bb] piece of my ear.
_ Then I busted a chair right across the [Eb] teeth,
and we crashed through the walls and into the [F] street,
kicking in the gouche and in the mud and [Bb] blood and the beer.
_ Well, I'll tell you, I fought tougher [Eb] then,
but I really can't remember when.
[F] He kicked like a mule and he bit like [Bb] a crocodile.
_ Well, I heard him laugh, and then I heard him [Eb] cuss
and reach for his gun, but I pulled mine [G] first.
He stood there looking at me, and I [Bb] saw him smile.
And he said, son, this world is rough,
and if a man's gonna [Eb] make it, he's gotta be tough.
I knew I [F] wouldn't be there to help you along.
So I gave you that name, and I said goodbye,
and [Eb] I knew you'd have to get tough or die.
It's that name that'll help to make [Bb] you strong.
He said, [Bb] now you just fought a hell of a fight,
but [Eb] I know you hate me, and you got the right
[F] to kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do.
_ _ [Bb] But you ought to thank me before I die
[Eb] for the gravel in your gut that's spitting in your eye,
[F] because I'm the son of a, named you [Bb] Sue.
_ What should I do?
_ Well, I got all set up, and I threw down [Eb] my gun,
and called him a pa, and called him [F] son,
come away with a different [Bb] point of view. _
And I think about it now and [Eb] then, every time I tried,
every time I [F] went, and if I ever have a,
_ well, if I ever have a boy, I'll name him Frank or George
or Bill or Tom or anything but Sue.
I don't want him going around [Eb] me and calling Sue all his life.
I've done [Gm] horrible things to you before.
Try to get along in the world.
Name a boy Sue.
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