G G [Verse 1] G Well my daddy left home when I was three C And he didn't leave much to ma and me D G Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze G Now I don't blame him cause he run and hid C But the meanest thing that he ever did D G Was before he left, he went and named me 'Sue' [Verse 2] G Well he must've thought that was quite a joke C And it got a lot of laughs from a-lots of folks D G It seems I had to fight my whole life through G Some gal would giggle and I'd get red C And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head D G I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named 'Sue' [Verse 3] G Well I grew up quick and I grew up mean C My fists got hard and my wits got keen D G I'd roam from town to town to hide my shame G But I made me a vow to the moon and stars C I'd search the honky-tonks and bars D G And kill that man that gimme that awful name [Verse 4] G Well it was Gatlinburg in mid-July C And I'd just hit town and my throat was dry D G I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew G At an old saloon on a street of mud C There at a table, dealing stud D G Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me 'Sue' [Verse 5] G Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad C From a worn-out picture that my mother'd had D G And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye G He was big and bent and gray and old C And I looked at him and my blood ran cold D G And I said "My name is 'Sue!' How do you do? Now you gonna die!" G (Yeah, that's what I told him) [Verse 6] G Well I hit him hard right between the eyes C And he went down, but to my surprise D G He come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear G But I busted a chair right across his teeth C And we crashed through the wall and into the street D G Kicking and a-gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer [Verse 7] G I tell ya, I've fought tougher men C But I really can't remember when D G He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile G I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss C He went for his gun and I pulled mine first D G He stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile [Verse 8] G And he said "Son, this world is rough C And if a man's gonna make it he's gotta be tough D G And I knew I wouldn't be there to help you along G So I give ya that name and I said goodbye C I knew you'd have to get tough or die D G And it's the name that helped to make you strong" G (Yeah!) [Verse 9] G He said "Now you just fought one hell of a fight C And I know you hate me, and you got the right D G To kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do G But you ought to thank me before I die C For the gravel in yer guts and the spit in ya eye D G Cause I'm the son-of-a-bitch that named you 'Sue'" G (Yeah, what could I do? What could I do?) [Verse 10] G I got all choked up and I threw down my gun C And I called him my pa, and he called me his son, D G And I come away with a different point of view G And I think about him, now and then C Every time I try and every time I win (*No guitar*) And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna name him (*No guitar*) Bill or George, anything but Sue, I still hate that name! G (*No lyrics, just strumming out*)