[A] [D] [E] [E7]
e|---0------2------0------0-----|
B|---2------3------0------3-----|
G|---2------2------1------1-----|
D|---2------0------2------2-----|
A|---0-------------2------2-----|
E|-----------------0------0-----|
Capo 3rd Fret
(In a moderate country half-time)
Verse
[A] [D] [A]
Ev'ryone considered him the coward of the county.
[E]
He'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong.
[A] [D] [A]
His mama named him Tommy, the folks just called him yellow,
[E] [A]
but something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong.
[A] [D] [A]
He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison.
[E]
I looked after Tommy 'cause he was my brother's son.
[A] [D] [A]
I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy:
[E] [A]
"Son, my life is over, but yours is just begun.
Chorus
[A] [D] [A]
Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done.
[D] [A] [E]
Walk away from trouble if you can.
[A] [D] [A]
It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek.
[D] [E]
I hope you're old enough to understand:
[E7] [A]
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."
(Slide capo to 4th fret)
Verse
[A] [D] [A]
There's someone for ev'ryone and Tommy's love was Becky.
[E]
In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man.
[A] [D] [A]
One day while he was workin' the Gatlin boys came callin'.
[E] (Spoken) [A]
They took turns at Becky.... There was three of them!
[A] [D] [A]
Tommy opened up the door and saw his Becky cryin'.
[E]
The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand.
[A] [D] [A]
He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy's picture.
[E] [A]
As his tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again:
Chorus
[A] [D] [A]
"Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done.
[D] [A] [E]
Walk away from trouble if you can.
[A] [D] [A]
It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek.
[D] [E]
I hope you're old enough to understand:
[E7] [A]
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."
(Slide capo to 5th fret)
Verse
[A] [D] [A]
The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the barroom.
[E]
One of them got up and met him halfway 'cross the floor.
[A] [D] [A]
When Tommy turned around they said, "Hey look! ol' yellow's leavin'."
(Spoken) [E] [A]
But you coulda heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and blocked the door.
[A] [D] [A]
Twenty years of crawlin' was bottled up inside him.
[E]
He wasn't holdin' nothin' back; he let 'em have it all.
[A] [D] [A]
When Tommy left the barroom not a Gatlin boy was standin'.
[E] [A]
He said, "This one's for Becky," as he watched the last one fall.
(Spoken)
And I heard him say,
Chorus
[A] [D] [A]
"I promised you, Dad, not to do the things you done.
[D] [A] [E]
I walk away from trouble when I can.
[A] [D] [A]
Now please don't think I'm weak, I didn't turn the other cheek,
[D] [E]
and Papa, I sure hope you understand:
[E7] [A]
Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man."
[A] [D] N.C. [A]
Ev'ryone considered him the coward of the county.
COWARD OF THE COUNTY
Verse
|[C] | |[F] |[C] |
Ev'ry one con-sidered him the coward of the county
| | | |[G] |
He never stood one single time to prove the county wrong
|[C] | |[F] |[C] |
His momma named him Tommy the folks just called him yellow
| | | [G7] |[C] |
Something always told me they were readin' Tommy wrong
| | |[F] |[C] |
He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison
| | | |[G] |
I looked after Tommy 'cos he was my brothers son
|[C] | |[F] |[C] |
I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy
| | | [G7] |[C] |
Son my life is over but yours has just beg-un
Chorus
|[C] | [G7] [C] |[F] |[C] |
Promise me son not to do the things I've done
|[F] |[C] |[G] |
walk away from trouble if you can
|[C] | [G7] [C] |[F] |[C]
Now it won't mean your weak if you turn the other cheek
|[F] |[G]
I hope your old enough to under-stand
|[Dm7] |[G7] |[C] |
you don't have to fight to be a man
Verse
|[D] | |[G] |[D]
There's someone for every one and Tommys love was Becky
| | | |[A] |
In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man
|[D] | |[G] |[D] |
One day while he was workin' the Gatlin boys came callin'
| | | |[A7] |[D]
They took turns at Becky There was three of them
| | |[G] |[D] |
Tommy open up the door and saw his Becky cryin'
| | | |[A] |
The torn dress the shattered look was more than he could stand
|[D] | |[G] |[D] |
He reached above the fire place and took down his daddys picture
| | | [A] |[D]
as the tears fell on his Daddys face he heard these words a-gain
Chorus
|[D] | [A] [D] |[G] [D] |
Promise me son not to do the things I've done
|[G] |[D] [A] |
walk away from trouble if you can
|[D] | [A] [D] |[G] [D] |
Now it don't mean your weak if you turn the other cheek
|[D] |[G] |[A] |
I hope your old en-ough to understand
| |[A7] |[D]
Son you don't have to fight to be a man
Verse
|[D] | |[G] |[D]
The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the bar room
| | | | [A7] |
one of them got up and met him half way 'cross the floor
|[D] | |[G] |[D] |
when Tommy turned around they said Hey look ol' Yellows leaving
| [A7]
But you could-a heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and blocked the
door
|[D] | |[G] |[D] |
Twenty years of crawlin' was bottled up in-side him
| | | |[A] |
he wasn't holdin' nothin' back he let 'em have it all
|[D] | |[G] |[D] |
when Tommy left the Bar room not a Gatlin boy was standin'
| |[A7]
He said this one's for Becky as he watched the last one fall
And I heard him say.
Chorus
|[D] | [A7] [D] |[G] |[D]
I promised you Dad not to do the things you done
|[G] |[D] |[A7]
I walk away from trouble when I can
|[D] | [A7] [D] |[G] |[D] |
now please don't think I'm weak I did-n't turn the other cheek
| |[G] |[A] |[A7] |
and Poppa I sure hope you understand some-times you've gotta fight
|[D] |
when your a man
| | |[G] |[D]
Everyone considered him the coward of the county
