Coward Of The County Lyrics With Guitar Chords (Kenny Rogers)

(In a moderate country half-time)

Ev’ryone considered him the coward of the county.

He’d never stood one single time to prove the county wrong.

His mama named him Tommy, the folks just called him yellow,

but 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 is 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 ev’ryone and Tommy’s love was Becky.

In her arms he didn’t have to prove he was a man.

One day while he was workin’ the Gatlin boys came callin’.
(Spoken)
They took turns at Becky…. There was three of them!

Tommy opened up the door and saw his Becky cryin’.

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 his 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.

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.”
(Slide capo to 5th fret)

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! ol’ yellow’s leavin’.”
(Spoken)
But you coulda heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and blocked the door.

Twenty years of crawlin’ was bottled up inside him.

He wasn’t holdin’ nothin’ back; he let ’em have it all.

When Tommy left the barroom not a Gatlin boy was standin’.

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 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.”

Ev’ryone considered him the coward of the county.

| Ev’ry one | con-sidered him the | coward | of the county

| He never | stood one | single | time to | prove the county wrong

| His momma | named him Tommy | the folks | just called him yellow

| Something | always | told me they | were | readin’ Tommy wrong

|He was | only ten years old when | his | daddy died in prison

| I looked | after | Tommy ‘cos | he was | my brothers son

| I still recall | the final words my | brother | said to Tommy

| Son my | life is | over but yours | has just | beg-un

| Promise | me son not to do the | things I’ve | done

walk away | from trouble | if you | can

| Now it | won’t mean your weak if you | turn the other cheek

I hope | your old enough to under-stand

you don’t have | to fight to | be a | man

| There’s | someone | for every one | and Tommys love was Becky

| In her | arms he | didn’t have to | prove | he was a man

| One day | while he was | workin’ the | Gatlin | boys came callin’

| They took | turns | at Becky | There was | three of them

| Tommy | open up | the door | and saw | his Becky cryin’

| The torn | dress the | shattered look | was | more than he could stand

| He reached | above the fire | place and | took | down his daddys picture

| as the tears | fell on | his Daddys face | he heard these words a-gain

| Promise | me son not to | do the things I’ve | done

| walk away | from trouble if you | can

| Now it don’t | mean your weak | if you turn the | other cheek

| I hope your | old en-ough | 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 bar room

| one of | them got up | and met him | half | way ‘cross the floor

| when Tommy | turned | around they | said Hey | look ol’ Yellows leaving

| But you could-a heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and blocked the
door

| Twenty years | of | crawlin’ was | bottled up | in-side him

| he wasn’t | holdin’ | nothin’ | back he | let ’em have it all

| when Tommy | left the | Bar room not a | Gatlin | boy was standin’

| 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 done

| I walk away | from trouble | when I can

| now please don’t | think I’m weak I | did-n’t turn | the | other cheek

| and Poppa | I sure | hope you | understand some- | times you’ve gotta fight

| when | your a man

| Everyone | considered | him the | coward of the county