[00:16.55]My daddy left home when I was three
[00:18.71]And he didn＇t leave much to Ma and me
[00:21.02]Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze.
[00:25.70]Now, I don＇t blame him cause he run and hid
[00:28.17]But the meanest thing that he ever did
[00:30.25]Was before he left, he went and named me ＇Sue.＇
[00:34.10]
[00:36.43]Well, he must o＇ thought that is was quite a joke
[00:38.55]And it got a lot of laughs from a＇ lots of folk,
[00:40.83]It seems I had to fight my whole life through.
[00:45.66]Some gal would giggle and I＇d get red
[00:47.97]And some guy＇d laugh and I＇d bust his head,
[00:50.49]I tell ya, life ain＇t easy for a boy named ＇Sue.＇
[00:54.44]
[00:57.72]Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean,
[01:00.03]My fist got hard and my wits got keen,
[01:02.35]I＇d roam from town to town to hide my shame.
[01:07.01]But I made me a vow to the moon and stars
[01:09.43]That I＇d search the honky-tonks and bars
[01:11.75]And kill that man that give me that awful name.
[01:15.11]
[01:16.34]Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July
[01:18.70]And I just hit town and my throat was dry,
[01:21.15]I thought I＇d stop and have myself a brew.
[01:25.65]At an old saloon on a street of mud,
[01:28.13]There at a table, dealing stud,
[01:30.61]Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me ＇Sue.＇
[01:34.60]
[01:35.11]Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad
[01:37.62]From a worn-out picture that my mother＇d had,
[01:39.86]And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye.
[01:44.42]He was big and bent and gray and old,
[01:46.88]And I looked at him and my blood ran cold
[01:49.25]And I said: ＂My name is ＇Sue!＇ how do you do! Now you gonna die!＂
[01:55.74]
[02:00.75]Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes
[02:03.15]And he went down but, to my surprise,
[02:05.68]He come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear.
[02:10.21]But I busted a chair right across his teeth
[02:12.49]And we crashed through the wall and into the street
[02:14.66]Kicking and a＇ gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer.
[02:18.34]
[02:19.82]I tell ya, I＇ve fought tougher men
[02:21.84]But I really can＇t remember when,
[02:24.18]He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile.
[02:28.93]I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss,
[02:31.38]He went for his gun and I pulled mine first,
[02:34.11]He stood there lookin＇ at me and I saw him smile.
[02:37.08]
[02:37.86]And he said: ＂Son, this world is rough
[02:41.20]And if a man＇s gonna make it, he＇s gotta be tough
[02:43.90]And I know I wouldn＇t be there to help ya along.
[02:48.25]So I give ya that name and I said good-bye
[02:50.67]I knew you＇d have to get tough or die
[02:53.16]And it＇s that name that helped to make you strong.＂
[02:56.60]
[02:59.00]He said: ＇Now you just fought one hell of a fight
[03:01.33]And I know you hate me, and you got the right
[03:03.61]To kill me now, and I wouldn＇t blame you if you do.
[03:08.38]But ya ought to thank me, before I die,
[03:10.74]For the gravel in ya guts and the spit in ya eye
[03:13.36]Cause I＇m the son-of-a-bitch that named you ＇Sue＇.＇
[03:17.31]
[03:21.36]I got all choked up and I threw down my gun
[03:24.07]And I called him my pa, and he called me his son,
[03:26.32]And I come away with a different point of view.
[03:30.68]And I think about him, now and then,
[03:33.07]Every time I try and every time I win,
[03:35.70]And if I ever have a son, I think I＇m gonna name him
[03:40.79]Bill or George! Anything but sue! I still hate that name!