Coward Of The County (Kenny Rogers) - Scott Lucas
Everyone considered him the coward of the county
He never stood one single time
To prove the county wrong
His mama named him Tommy
But 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
And 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
Now it don'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 everyone
And Tommy's love was Becky
In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man
One day while he was working
The Gatlin boys came calling
They took turns at Becky there were three of them
Tommy opened up the door and saw his Becky crying
The torn dress
The shattered look was more than he could stand
He reached above the fireplace
Took down his daddy's picture
As the 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
Now it don'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 leaving
But you could heard a pin drop when
Tommy stopped and locked the door
Twenty years of crawling was bottled up inside him
He wasn't holding nothing back;
He let them have it all
When Tommy left the barroom
Not a Gatlin boy was standing
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've done
I'll walk away from trouble if I can
Now please don't think I'm weak
I couldn't turn the other cheek
And papa I sure hope you understand
Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man
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
Everyone considered him the coward of the county