Album Name

Greatest Hits

Artist

Kenny Rogers

Genre

POP, 컨트리

Release Date

1986.10.13

Release Agency

Universal Music

Coward Of The County - Kenny Rogers
Ev'ryone considered him
the coward of the county
He'd never stood one single time
to prove the county wrong
His mama named him Tommy
the folks just called him yellow
But something always told me
they were reading Tommy wrong
He was only ten years old
when his daddy died in prison
I looked after Tommy
'cause he was my brother's son
I still recall the final words
my brother said to Tommy
Son my life is over
but yours is just begun
Promise me son
not to do the things I've done
Walk away from trouble
if you can
It won't mean you're weak
if you turn the other cheek
I hope you're old enough
to understand
Son you don't have to fight
to be a man
There's someone for ev'ryone
and Tommy's love was Becky
In her arms he didn't have
to prove he was a man
One day while he was workin'
the Gatlin boys came callin'
They took turns at Becky
There was three of them
Tommy opened up the door
and saw his Becky cryin'
The torn dress
the shattered look was more
than he could stand
He reached above the fireplace
and took down his daddy's picture
As his tears fell on his daddy's face
he heard these words again
Promise me son
not to do the things I've done
Walk away from trouble
if you can
It won't mean you're weak
if you turn the other cheek
I hope you're old enough
to understand
Son you don't have to fight
to be a man
The Gatlin boys just laughed at him
when he walked into the barroom
One of them got up and met him
halfway 'cross the floor
When Tommy turned
around they said
Hey look ol' yellow's leavin'
But you coulda heard a pin drop
when Tommy stopped and
blocked the door
Twenty years of crawlin'
was bottled up inside him
He wasn't holdin' nothin' back
he let 'em have it all
When Tommy left the barroom
not a Gatlin boy was standin'
He said This one's for Becky
as he watched the last one fall
And I heard him say
I promised you Dad
not to do the things you done
I walk away from trouble
when I can
Now please don't think I'm weak
I didn't turn the other cheek
and Papa
I sure hope you understand
Sometimes you gotta fight
when you're a man
Ev'ryone considered him
the coward of the county