Everyone considered him the coward of the county
He'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong
His mama named him Tommy, but folks just called him yellow
Something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong
He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison
I looked after Tommy, 'cause he was my brother's son
I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy
"Son, my life is over, but yours has just begun"
"Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done
Walk away from trouble if you can
It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
I hope you're old enough to understand
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man"
There's someone for everyone, and Tommy's love was Becky
In her arms, he didn't have to prove he was a man
One day while he was working, the Gatlin boys came calling
They took turns at Becky, n'there was three of them
Tommy opened up the door, and saw his Becky crying
The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand
He reached above the fireplace, and took down his daddy's picture
As the tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again
"Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done
Walk away from trouble if you can
Now, it won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
I hope you're old enough to understand
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man"
The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the barroom
One of them got up and met him halfway 'cross the floor
When Tommy turned around they said, "hey look, old yeller's leaving"
But you could've heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and locked the door
Twenty years of crawling was bottled up inside him
He wasn't holding nothin' back, he let 'em have it all
When Tommy left the barroom, not a Gatlin boy was standing
He said, "this one's for Becky, as he watched the last one fall
(And I heard him say) "I promised you, Dad, not to do the things you've done
I walk away from trouble when I can
Now please don't think I'm weak, I didn't turn the other cheek
And papa, I sure hope you understand
Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man"
Everyone considered him the coward of the county
Tag:
old country songs,classic country songs,top 100 country songs,country songs,best country songs,greatest country songs,top country songs,country music,old country music,80s country songs,classic country,country love songs,90s country songs,best country songs of all time,60s country songs,country songs of all time,70s country songs,texas country songs,best classic country songs,country music of all time,best classic country songs of all time,slow country songs,gospel country songs,christian country songs,country sad songs,country fast songs,country slow songs,country songs of 1980s,old country love songs,country hits,old country,80s country,sad country songs,fast country songs,classic country music,country music songs,80s country love songs,80s country music,top 80s country songs,best 90s country songs,90s country love songs,70s country,greatest country songs ever,duet country songs,romantic country songs,top 100 country songs of all time,top 100 country songs ever,top 50 country music,country gospel songs,christian country gospel,road trip country music,70s 80s 90s country songs,relaxing country songs,country songs of 1990s,country songs of 1960s,70s country love songs,country music hits,80s country hits,best 80s country songs,greatest 80s country songs,80s best songs,50s country music,90s country music,country classic
