A Boy Named Sue

Song A Boy Named Sue
Artist Johnny Cash
Album Went To Glastonbury

Lyrics

[00:16.55] My daddy left home when I was three
[00:18.71] And he didn't leave much to Ma and me
[00:21.02] Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze.
[00:25.70] Now, I don't blame him cause he run and hid
[00:28.17] But the meanest thing that he ever did
[00:30.25] Was before he left, he went and named me 'Sue.'
[00:34.10]
[00:36.43] Well, he must o' thought that is was quite a joke
[00:38.55] And it got a lot of laughs from a' lots of folk,
[00:40.83] It seems I had to fight my whole life through.
[00:45.66] Some gal would giggle and I'd get red
[00:47.97] And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head,
[00:50.49] I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named 'Sue.'
[00:54.44]
[00:57.72] Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean,
[01:00.03] My fist got hard and my wits got keen,
[01:02.35] I'd roam from town to town to hide my shame.
[01:07.01] But I made me a vow to the moon and stars
[01:09.43] That I'd search the honky-tonks and bars
[01:11.75] And kill that man that give me that awful name.
[01:15.11]
[01:16.34] Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July
[01:18.70] And I just hit town and my throat was dry,
[01:21.15] I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew.
[01:25.65] At an old saloon on a street of mud,
[01:28.13] There at a table, dealing stud,
[01:30.61] Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me 'Sue.'
[01:34.60]
[01:35.11] Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad
[01:37.62] From a worn-out picture that my mother'd had,
[01:39.86] And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye.
[01:44.42] He was big and bent and gray and old,
[01:46.88] And I looked at him and my blood ran cold
[01:49.25] And I said: "My name is 'Sue!' how do you do! Now you gonna die!"
[01:55.74]
[02:00.75] Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes
[02:03.15] And he went down but, to my surprise,
[02:05.68] He come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear.
[02:10.21] But I busted a chair right across his teeth
[02:12.49] And we crashed through the wall and into the street
[02:14.66] Kicking and a' gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer.
[02:18.34]
[02:19.82] I tell ya, I've fought tougher men
[02:21.84] But I really can't remember when,
[02:24.18] He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile.
[02:28.93] I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss,
[02:31.38] He went for his gun and I pulled mine first,
[02:34.11] He stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile.
[02:37.08]
[02:37.86] And he said: "Son, this world is rough
[02:41.20] And if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough
[02:43.90] And I know I wouldn't be there to help ya along.
[02:48.25] So I give ya that name and I said good-bye
[02:50.67] I knew you'd have to get tough or die
[02:53.16] And it's that name that helped to make you strong."
[02:56.60]
[02:59.00] He said: 'Now you just fought one hell of a fight
[03:01.33] And I know you hate me, and you got the right
[03:03.61] To kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do.
[03:08.38] But ya ought to thank me, before I die,
[03:10.74] For the gravel in ya guts and the spit in ya eye
[03:13.36] Cause I'm the son-of-a-bitch that named you 'Sue'.'
[03:17.31]
[03:21.36] I got all choked up and I threw down my gun
[03:24.07] And I called him my pa, and he called me his son,
[03:26.32] And I come away with a different point of view.
[03:30.68] And I think about him, now and then,
[03:33.07] Every time I try and every time I win,
[03:35.70] And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna name him
[03:40.79] Bill or George! Anything but sue! I still hate that name!

Pinyin

[00:16.55] My daddy left home when I was three
[00:18.71] And he didn t leave much to Ma and me
[00:21.02] Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze.
[00:25.70] Now, I don t blame him cause he run and hid
[00:28.17] But the meanest thing that he ever did
[00:30.25] Was before he left, he went and named me Sue.
[00:34.10]
[00:36.43] Well, he must o thought that is was quite a joke
[00:38.55] And it got a lot of laughs from a lots of folk,
[00:40.83] It seems I had to fight my whole life through.
[00:45.66] Some gal would giggle and I d get red
[00:47.97] And some guy d laugh and I d bust his head,
[00:50.49] I tell ya, life ain t easy for a boy named Sue.
[00:54.44]
[00:57.72] Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean,
[01:00.03] My fist got hard and my wits got keen,
[01:02.35] I d roam from town to town to hide my shame.
[01:07.01] But I made me a vow to the moon and stars
[01:09.43] That I d search the honkytonks and bars
[01:11.75] And kill that man that give me that awful name.
[01:15.11]
[01:16.34] Well, it was Gatlinburg in midJuly
[01:18.70] And I just hit town and my throat was dry,
[01:21.15] I thought I d stop and have myself a brew.
[01:25.65] At an old saloon on a street of mud,
[01:28.13] There at a table, dealing stud,
[01:30.61] Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me Sue.
[01:34.60]
[01:35.11] Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad
[01:37.62] From a wornout picture that my mother d had,
[01:39.86] And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye.
[01:44.42] He was big and bent and gray and old,
[01:46.88] And I looked at him and my blood ran cold
[01:49.25] And I said: My name is Sue! how do you do! Now you gonna die!
[01:55.74]
[02:00.75] Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes
[02:03.15] And he went down but, to my surprise,
[02:05.68] He come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear.
[02:10.21] But I busted a chair right across his teeth
[02:12.49] And we crashed through the wall and into the street
[02:14.66] Kicking and a gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer.
[02:18.34]
[02:19.82] I tell ya, I ve fought tougher men
[02:21.84] But I really can t remember when,
[02:24.18] He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile.
[02:28.93] I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss,
[02:31.38] He went for his gun and I pulled mine first,
[02:34.11] He stood there lookin at me and I saw him smile.
[02:37.08]
[02:37.86] And he said: Son, this world is rough
[02:41.20] And if a man s gonna make it, he s gotta be tough
[02:43.90] And I know I wouldn t be there to help ya along.
[02:48.25] So I give ya that name and I said goodbye
[02:50.67] I knew you d have to get tough or die
[02:53.16] And it s that name that helped to make you strong.
[02:56.60]
[02:59.00] He said: Now you just fought one hell of a fight
[03:01.33] And I know you hate me, and you got the right
[03:03.61] To kill me now, and I wouldn t blame you if you do.
[03:08.38] But ya ought to thank me, before I die,
[03:10.74] For the gravel in ya guts and the spit in ya eye
[03:13.36] Cause I m the sonofabitch that named you Sue.
[03:17.31]
[03:21.36] I got all choked up and I threw down my gun
[03:24.07] And I called him my pa, and he called me his son,
[03:26.32] And I come away with a different point of view.
[03:30.68] And I think about him, now and then,
[03:33.07] Every time I try and every time I win,
[03:35.70] And if I ever have a son, I think I m gonna name him
[03:40.79] Bill or George! Anything but sue! I still hate that name!