Coward Of The County(Remastered 2006) - Kenny Rogers

作曲：Roger Bowling/Billy Edd Wheeler

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

Well 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 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 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

Then Tommy turned around they said

Hey look ol' yellow's leavin'

But you coulda heard a pin drop

when Tommy stopped and locked 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've done

I'll walk away from trouble when 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

Everyone considered him the coward of the county