Coward of the County

By Kenny Rogers

C                           F             C

Everyone considered him the coward of the county

                                                   G7

He never stood one single time to prove the county wrong

C                            F                     C

His mama named him Tommy but folks just called him yellow

                                   G7            C

Something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong

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

                                               G7

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

                        G7            C

Son my life is over but yours is just begun

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Promise me son not to do the things I've done

F              C              G7

Walk away from trouble if you can

    C                                F              C

Now it don't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek

                  F            G7

I hope you're old enough to understand

F                 G7            C

You don't have to fight to be a man

                                F                C

There's someone for everyone and Tommy's love was Becky

                                             G7

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

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One day while he was working  the Gatlin Boys came calling

                          G7                  C

They took turns at Becky  there were three of them

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Tommy opened up the door and saw his Becky crying

                                                         G7

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

   C                               F                     C 

He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy's picture

                                         G7                C 

As his tears fell on his daddy's face he heard these words again

Repeat #3

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The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the bar room

                                                G7

One of the got up and hit him halfway cross the floor

C                                  F                 C

Tommy turned around they said  hey look  ole Yellow's leaving

                                     G7                          C

But you coulda heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and locked the door

                             F                 C 

Twenty years of crawling was bottled up inside him

                                                   G7

He wasn't holding nothing back  he let 'em have it all

     C                            F              C

When Tommy left the barroom not a Gatlin boy was standing

                                    G7                   C

He said this one's for Becky  as he watched the last one fall

And I heard him say

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I promised you Dad not to do the things you've done

     F              C            G7

I'll walk away from trouble if I can

    C                                      F              C

Now Please don't think I'm weak I couldn't turn the other cheek

                    G7

Papa I sure hope you understand

    F               G7                  C

Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man

                           F             C

Everyone considered him the coward of the county