Boy Named Sue [live] Lyrics - 16 Biggest Hits - Johnny Cash

Well, my daddy left home when I was three 

And he didn't leave much to Ma and me 

Just this ole guitar and an empty bottle of booze 

Now, I don't 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 musta thought that it was quite a joke 

And it got a lot of laughs from lots a folks 

Seems I had to fight my whole life through 

Some gal would giggle and I'd get red 

And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head 

I'll tell ya, life ain't 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 

I roamed from town to town to hide my shame 

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But I made me a vow to the Moon and stars 

I'd search the honky-tonks and bars 

And kill that man that give me that awful name 

Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July 

And I'd just hit town and my throat was dry 

I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew 

At an old saloon on a street of mud 

There at a table dealin' stud 

Sat the dirty, mangey dog that named me Sue 

Well I knew that snake was my own sweet dad 

From a worn out picture that my mother had 

And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye 

He was big and bent and grey 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! That's what I told him 

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Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes 

And he went down but to my surprise 

Came up with a knife an' cut off a piece of my ear 

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, I've fought tougher men 

But I really can't remember when 

He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile 

Well, I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss 

He went for his gun but 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 man's gonna make it he's gotta be tough 

And I know I wouldn't be there to help you along 

So I gave you that name and I said goodbye 

I knew you'd have to get tough or die 

And it's 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 ya got the right 

To kill me now and I wouldn't blame you if you do 

But you oughta thank me before I die 

For the gravel in your guts and the spit in the eye 

'Cause I'm the son-of-a-bitch that named you Sue" 

Yeah, what could I do? What could I do? 

I got all choked up and 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 I'm gonna name him 

Bill or George, any-damn-thing but Sue! I still hate that name!