Well, my daddy left home when I was three
And he didnt leave much to ma and me
Just this old guitar and a empty bottle of booze
Now, I dont blame him cause he run and hid
But the meanest thing that he ever did
Was before he left, he went and named me Sue
Well, he mustve thought that it was quite a joke
And it got a lot of laughs from a lots of folks
It seems I had to fight my whole life through
Some gal would giggle and Id get red
And some guyd laugh and Id bust his head
I tell ya, life aint easy for a boy named Sue
Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean
My fist got hard and my wits got keen
Roamed from town to town to hide my shame
But I made me a vow to the moon and stars
Id search the honkytonks and bars
And kill that man that give me that awful name
Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July
And I just hit town and my throat was dry
I thought Id stop and have myself a brew
At an old saloon on a street of mud
There at a table, dealin stud
Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me Sue
Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad
From a worn-out picture that my motherd had
And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye
He was big and bent and gray and old
And I looked at him, and my blood ran cold
And I said, My name is Sue! How do you do?
Now you gonna die!
Yeah, thats what I told him!
Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes
And he went down, but to my surprise
He come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear
But I busted a chair right across his teeth
And we crashed through the wall and into the street
Kickin and a-gougin in the mud and the blood and the beer
I tell ya, Ive fought tougher men
But I really cant remember when
He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile
I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss
And he went for his gun and I pulled mine first
He stood there lookin at me and I saw him smile
And he said, Son, this world is rough
And if a mans gonna make it, hes gotta be tough
And I know I wouldnt be there to help you along
So I give you that name and I said goodbye
I knew youd have to get tough or die
And its that name that helped to make you strong
Yeah, he said, Now you just fought one hell of a fight
And I know you hate me, and you got the right
To kill me now, and I wouldnt blame you if you do
But you oughtta thank me, before I die
For the gravel in your guts and the spit in the eye
Cause Im the son-of-a-bitch that named you Sue
Yeah, what could I do? What could I do?
I got all choked up and I threw down my gun
Called him my pa, and he called me his son
And I come away with a different point of view
And I think about him, now and then
Every time I try and every time I win
And if I ever have a son, I think Im gonna name him
Bill or George! Anything but Sue! I still hate that name!
All right, thank you very much. Just before we ask the Statler Brothers to come back out, wed like to ask the Carter Family and Carl to help us out on a fine scripture. We got a lot of requests to do Peace in the Valley.