C F C
Ev'ryone considered him the coward of the county,
G
he'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong.
C F C
His mama named him Tommy, the folks just called him "Yellow",
G C
but something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong.
C F C
He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison,
G
I looked after Tommy 'cause he was my brother's son.
C F C
I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy:
G C
"Son, my life is over, but your's has just begun.
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 F C
It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek,
F G
I hope you're old enough to understand :
G7 C
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."
D G D
There's someone for ev'ryone and Tommy's 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',
A D
they took turns at Becky, there was three of them!
D G D
Tommy opened 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 fireplace and took down his daddy's picture,
A D
as his tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words a-gain :
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 G D
It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek,
G A
I hope you're old enough to understand :
A7 D
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."
E A E
The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the barroom,
B7
one of them got up and met him halfway 'cross the floor.
E A E
When Tommy turned around they said, "Hey look! Ol' Yellow's leavin'."
NC B7 E
But you coulda heard a pin drop, when Tommy stopped and blocked the door.
E A E
Twenty years of crawlin' was bottled up inside him,
B7
he wasn't holdin' nothin' back, he let 'em have it all.
E A E
When Tommy left the barroom not a Gatlin boy was standin',
B7 E
he said, "This one's for Becky," as he watched the last one fall.
NC
And I heard him say :
E A E
"I promised you, Dad, not to do the things you done,
A E B7
I walk away from trouble when I can.
E A E
Now please don't think I'm weak, I didn't turn the other cheek,
A B7
and Papa, I sure hope you understand :
B7 E
Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man."
E A E
Ev'ryone considered him the coward of the county
