[00:10.5]Everyone considered him the coward of the county
[00:16.79]He'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong
[00:24.67]His mama named him Tommy, but folks just called him yellow
[00:31.61]Something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong.
[00:38.34]He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison
[00:45.09]I looked after Tommy, 'cause he was my brother's son
[00:52.00]I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy
[00:58.89]"Son my life is over, but yours has just begun".
[01:04.70]CHORUS:
[01:04.88]Rogers Kenny
[01:05.82]"Promise me son not to do the things I've done
[01:11.81]Walk away from trouble if you can
[01:16.31]It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
[01:21.73]I hope you're old enough to understand
[01:27.21]Son, you don't have to fight to be a man".
[01:33.00]There's someone for everyone, and Tommy's love was Becky
[01:39.45]In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man
[01:46.27]One day while he was working, the Gatlin boys came calling
[01:53.17]They took turns at Becky (there was three of them).
[02:00.19]Tommy opened up the door, and saw Becky crying
[02:06.82]The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand
[02:13.76]He reached above the fireplace, and took down his daddy's picture
[02:20.47]As his tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard this words again.
[02:54.71]The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the bar room
[03:01.39]One of them got up and met him half way cross the floor
[03:08.30]When Tommy turned around they said "Hey look old yellow's leaving"
[03:14.91]But you could've heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and locked the door.
[03:22.11]Twenty years of crawling were bottled up inside him
[03:28.79]He would hold nothing back --he let'em have it all
[03:35.39]When Tommy left the bar room, not a Gatlin boy was standing
[03:43.78]He said this ones for Becky, as he watched the last one fall
[03:48.63](now hear him say)
[03:49.05]"I promised you dad not to do the things you've done
[03:54.94]I walk away from trouble when I can
[03:59.87]Now please don't think I'm weak I didn't turn the other cheek
[04:05.27]And papa I should hope you understand
[04:10.78]Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man".
[04:16.54]Everyone considered him the coward of the county.