Chords for The Highwaymen - A Boy Named Sue (American Outlaws: Live at Nassau Coliseum, 1990)
Tempo:
107.55 bpm
Chords used:
A
E
D
F#m
F#
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
[A]
Well, my daddy left home when I was three, [D] didn't leave very much to my ma and me,
[E] except this old guitar and an empty bottle [A] of booze.
[E] [A] Now, I don't blame him cause he run and hid, [D] but the meanest thing that 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 [D] joke, and it got a lot of laughs from lots of folks.
[E] Seems I had to fight my [A] whole life through.
[E] [A] Some gal would giggle and I'd turn [D] red, and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head.
[E] I'll tell you, life ain't easy for a [A] boy named Sue.
But I grew up quick and I grew up [D] mean.
My fists got hard, my wits got [E] keen.
Rode from town to town to hide [A] my shame.
[E] [A] But I made me a vow to the moon and [D] stars, I'd search the honky-tonks and bars,
[E] kill that man that gave me that [A] awful name.
Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July, [D] and I'd just hit town and my throat was [E] dry.
Thought I'd stop and have [A] myself a brew.
[E] [A] At an old saloon on a street of [D] mud, there at a table dealing stud,
[E] such a dirty mangy dog had named [A] me Sue.
Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet [D] dad from a worn-out picture that my mother'd had.
[E] Knew that scar on his cheek and his [A] evil eye.
[E] [A] He was big and bent and gray and [D] old, and I looked at him and my blood ran [E] cold, and I said,
My name is [A] Sue!
How do you do?
Now you're gonna die.
Well, I hit him hard right between the [D] eyes, and he went down, but to my surprise,
[E] come up with a knife and cut off a piece [A] of my [F#m] ear.
[E] Then [A] I busted a chair right across his teeth, [D] and we crashed through the walls and into the street,
[E] kicking and a-gouging in the mud and the blood [A] and the beer.
Well, I'll tell you, I fought tougher men, [D] but I really can't remember when.
[E] He kicked like a mule and he bit like a [A] crocodile.
[E] [A] I heard him laugh, and then I heard him cuss, and [D] he reached for his gun, but I pulled mine first,
[E] and he stood there looking at me, and I saw him [A] 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 wouldn't [E] be there to help you along.
[A]
[E] So [A] I gave you that name, and I said goodbye, [D] and I knew you'd have to get tougher to die.
[E] It's that name that'll help to make [A] you strong.
He said, Now, you just fought one hell of a fight, and [D] I know you hate me, and you got the right [E] to kill me now,
and I wouldn't blame you if [A] you do.
[E] But [A] you ought to thank me before I die [D] for the gravel in your gut and the spit in your eye,
[E] because I'm the f**k that named [A] you Sue.
What could I do?
I got all choked up, and I threw down my gun.
[D] I called him a ball, and he called me his son.
[E] Come away with a different point [A] of view.
[E] And [A] I think about it now and then every [D] time I try, and every time I [E] win,
if I ever have another boy, I'm gonna name him.
Waylon or Willie or Chris [F#] [C] or after you, Sue, [A] I still ain't done named Sue.
Yeah.
[N]
Well, my daddy left home when I was three, [D] didn't leave very much to my ma and me,
[E] except this old guitar and an empty bottle [A] of booze.
[E] [A] Now, I don't blame him cause he run and hid, [D] but the meanest thing that 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 [D] joke, and it got a lot of laughs from lots of folks.
[E] Seems I had to fight my [A] whole life through.
[E] [A] Some gal would giggle and I'd turn [D] red, and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head.
[E] I'll tell you, life ain't easy for a [A] boy named Sue.
But I grew up quick and I grew up [D] mean.
My fists got hard, my wits got [E] keen.
Rode from town to town to hide [A] my shame.
[E] [A] But I made me a vow to the moon and [D] stars, I'd search the honky-tonks and bars,
[E] kill that man that gave me that [A] awful name.
Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July, [D] and I'd just hit town and my throat was [E] dry.
Thought I'd stop and have [A] myself a brew.
[E] [A] At an old saloon on a street of [D] mud, there at a table dealing stud,
[E] such a dirty mangy dog had named [A] me Sue.
Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet [D] dad from a worn-out picture that my mother'd had.
[E] Knew that scar on his cheek and his [A] evil eye.
[E] [A] He was big and bent and gray and [D] old, and I looked at him and my blood ran [E] cold, and I said,
My name is [A] Sue!
How do you do?
Now you're gonna die.
Well, I hit him hard right between the [D] eyes, and he went down, but to my surprise,
[E] come up with a knife and cut off a piece [A] of my [F#m] ear.
[E] Then [A] I busted a chair right across his teeth, [D] and we crashed through the walls and into the street,
[E] kicking and a-gouging in the mud and the blood [A] and the beer.
Well, I'll tell you, I fought tougher men, [D] but I really can't remember when.
[E] He kicked like a mule and he bit like a [A] crocodile.
[E] [A] I heard him laugh, and then I heard him cuss, and [D] he reached for his gun, but I pulled mine first,
[E] and he stood there looking at me, and I saw him [A] 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 wouldn't [E] be there to help you along.
[A]
[E] So [A] I gave you that name, and I said goodbye, [D] and I knew you'd have to get tougher to die.
[E] It's that name that'll help to make [A] you strong.
He said, Now, you just fought one hell of a fight, and [D] I know you hate me, and you got the right [E] to kill me now,
and I wouldn't blame you if [A] you do.
[E] But [A] you ought to thank me before I die [D] for the gravel in your gut and the spit in your eye,
[E] because I'm the f**k that named [A] you Sue.
What could I do?
I got all choked up, and I threw down my gun.
[D] I called him a ball, and he called me his son.
[E] Come away with a different point [A] of view.
[E] And [A] I think about it now and then every [D] time I try, and every time I [E] win,
if I ever have another boy, I'm gonna name him.
Waylon or Willie or Chris [F#] [C] or after you, Sue, [A] I still ain't done named Sue.
Yeah.
[N]
Key:
A
E
D
F#m
F#
A
E
D
_ [A] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ Well, my daddy left home when I was three, [D] didn't leave very much to my ma and me,
[E] except this old guitar and an empty bottle [A] of booze.
[E] _ [A] Now, I don't blame him cause he run and hid, [D] but the meanest thing that 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 [D] joke, and it got a lot of laughs from lots of folks.
[E] Seems I had to fight my [A] whole life through.
[E] _ [A] Some gal would giggle and I'd turn [D] red, and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head.
[E] I'll tell you, life ain't easy for a [A] boy named Sue.
_ But I grew up quick and I grew up [D] mean.
My fists got hard, my wits got [E] keen.
Rode from town to town to hide [A] my shame.
[E] _ [A] But I made me a vow to the moon and [D] stars, I'd search the honky-tonks and bars,
[E] kill that man that gave me that [A] awful name.
_ Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July, [D] and I'd just hit town and my throat was [E] dry.
Thought I'd stop and have [A] myself a brew.
[E] _ [A] At an old saloon on a street of [D] mud, there at a table dealing stud,
[E] such a dirty mangy dog had named [A] me Sue.
_ Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet [D] dad from a worn-out picture that my mother'd had.
[E] Knew that scar on his cheek and his [A] evil eye.
[E] _ [A] He was big and bent and gray and [D] old, and I looked at him and my blood ran [E] cold, and I said,
My name is [A] Sue!
How do you do? _ _
_ _ _ Now you're gonna die. _ _
Well, I hit him hard right between the [D] eyes, and he went down, but to my surprise,
[E] come up with a knife and cut off a piece [A] of my [F#m] ear.
[E] Then [A] I busted a chair right across his teeth, [D] and we crashed through the walls and into the street,
[E] kicking and a-gouging in the mud and the blood [A] and the beer. _
Well, I'll tell you, I fought tougher men, [D] but I really can't remember when.
[E] He kicked like a mule and he bit like a [A] crocodile. _
[E] _ [A] I heard him laugh, and then I heard him cuss, and [D] he reached for his gun, but I pulled mine first,
[E] and he stood there looking at me, and I saw him [A] 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 wouldn't [E] be there to help you along.
_ [A] _ _
[E] So [A] I gave you that name, and I said goodbye, [D] and I knew you'd have to get tougher to die.
[E] It's that name that'll help to make [A] you strong.
He said, Now, you just fought one hell of a fight, and [D] I know you hate me, and you got the right [E] to kill me now,
and I wouldn't blame you if [A] you do. _
[E] But [A] you ought to thank me before I die [D] for the gravel in your gut and the spit in your eye,
[E] because I'm the f**k that named [A] you Sue. _
What could I do?
_ I got all choked up, and I threw down my gun.
[D] I called him a ball, and he called me his son.
[E] Come away with a different point [A] of view.
_ [E] And [A] I think about it now and then every [D] time I try, and every time I [E] win,
if I ever have another boy, I'm gonna name him.
_ _ Waylon or Willie or Chris [F#] [C] or after you, Sue, [A] I still ain't done named Sue.
_ _ Yeah. _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [N] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ Well, my daddy left home when I was three, [D] didn't leave very much to my ma and me,
[E] except this old guitar and an empty bottle [A] of booze.
[E] _ [A] Now, I don't blame him cause he run and hid, [D] but the meanest thing that 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 [D] joke, and it got a lot of laughs from lots of folks.
[E] Seems I had to fight my [A] whole life through.
[E] _ [A] Some gal would giggle and I'd turn [D] red, and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head.
[E] I'll tell you, life ain't easy for a [A] boy named Sue.
_ But I grew up quick and I grew up [D] mean.
My fists got hard, my wits got [E] keen.
Rode from town to town to hide [A] my shame.
[E] _ [A] But I made me a vow to the moon and [D] stars, I'd search the honky-tonks and bars,
[E] kill that man that gave me that [A] awful name.
_ Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July, [D] and I'd just hit town and my throat was [E] dry.
Thought I'd stop and have [A] myself a brew.
[E] _ [A] At an old saloon on a street of [D] mud, there at a table dealing stud,
[E] such a dirty mangy dog had named [A] me Sue.
_ Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet [D] dad from a worn-out picture that my mother'd had.
[E] Knew that scar on his cheek and his [A] evil eye.
[E] _ [A] He was big and bent and gray and [D] old, and I looked at him and my blood ran [E] cold, and I said,
My name is [A] Sue!
How do you do? _ _
_ _ _ Now you're gonna die. _ _
Well, I hit him hard right between the [D] eyes, and he went down, but to my surprise,
[E] come up with a knife and cut off a piece [A] of my [F#m] ear.
[E] Then [A] I busted a chair right across his teeth, [D] and we crashed through the walls and into the street,
[E] kicking and a-gouging in the mud and the blood [A] and the beer. _
Well, I'll tell you, I fought tougher men, [D] but I really can't remember when.
[E] He kicked like a mule and he bit like a [A] crocodile. _
[E] _ [A] I heard him laugh, and then I heard him cuss, and [D] he reached for his gun, but I pulled mine first,
[E] and he stood there looking at me, and I saw him [A] 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 wouldn't [E] be there to help you along.
_ [A] _ _
[E] So [A] I gave you that name, and I said goodbye, [D] and I knew you'd have to get tougher to die.
[E] It's that name that'll help to make [A] you strong.
He said, Now, you just fought one hell of a fight, and [D] I know you hate me, and you got the right [E] to kill me now,
and I wouldn't blame you if [A] you do. _
[E] But [A] you ought to thank me before I die [D] for the gravel in your gut and the spit in your eye,
[E] because I'm the f**k that named [A] you Sue. _
What could I do?
_ I got all choked up, and I threw down my gun.
[D] I called him a ball, and he called me his son.
[E] Come away with a different point [A] of view.
_ [E] And [A] I think about it now and then every [D] time I try, and every time I [E] win,
if I ever have another boy, I'm gonna name him.
_ _ Waylon or Willie or Chris [F#] [C] or after you, Sue, [A] I still ain't done named Sue.
_ _ Yeah. _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [N] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _