Lyrics: JOHNNY CASH "A BOY NAMED SUE (LIVE, FROM SAN QUENTIN PRISON)" (0/1)

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Current version of
Johnny Cash Lyrics
A Boy Named Sue (Live, from San Quentin Prison)

(http://www.mp3lyrics.org/j/johnny-cash/a-boy-named-sue/)

Current version of the lyrics

Version 1 of
Johnny Cash Lyrics
A Boy Named Sue (Live, from San Quentin Prison)

(http://www.mp3lyrics.org/j/johnny-cash/a-boy-named-sue/v1.ht...)

Version 1 of the lyrics

[Spoken:]

My daddy left home when I was three

[Cash:]I want you to, um, I want you to, to, if you don't mind,

And he didn't leave much to ma and me

Carl[3], I'd like you to stay out and help us on some songs. Play the

guitar.

[Perkins:]I'd love to.

[Cash:]One of the greatest guitar players, as well as songwriters and

singers that I've ever seen. Appreciate a little help on the guitar,

alright?

[Perkins:]Love to.

Well, my daddy left home when I was three,

And he didn't leave much to ma and me,

Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze.

Now, I don't blame him cause he run and hid,

Now, I don't blame him cause he run and hid

But the meanest thing that he ever did,

But the meanest thing that he ever did

Was before he left, he went and named me "Sue."

Well, he must of thought that it was quite a joke.

Well, he must o' thought that is quite a joke

And it got a lot of laughs from a-lots of folk,

And it got a lot of laughs from a' lots of folk,

It seems I had to fight my whole life through.

Some gal would giggle and I'd get red,

Some gal would giggle and I'd get red

And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head,

I'll tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named "Sue."

I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named "Sue."

Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean.

Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean,

My fist got hard and my wits got keen.

My fist got hard and my wits got keen,

I'd oam from town to town to hide my shame.

I'd roam from town to town to hide my shame.

But I made a vow to the moon and stars,

But I made a vow to the moon and stars

That I'd search the honky-tonks and bars,

That I'd search the honky-tonks and bars

And kill that man that gimme that awful name.

And kill that man who gave me that awful name.

Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July,

Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July

And I just hit town and my throat was dry,

I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew.

At an old saloon on a street of mud,

There at a table, dealin' stud,

There at a table, dealing stud,

Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me "Sue."

Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad,

Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad

From a worn-out picture that my mother'd had,

And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye.

He was big and bent and gray and old,

And I looked at him and my blood ran cold,

And I looked at him and my blood ran cold

And I said, "My name is 'Sue!' How do you do?

And I said: "My name is 'Sue!' How do you do!

Now you gonna die!!"

Now your gonna die!!"

Yeah, that's what I told him.

Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes

Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes,

And he went down, but to my surprise,

He come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear.

But I busted a chair right across his teeth,

But I busted a chair right across his teeth

And we crashed through the wall and into the street,

And we crashed through the wall and into the street

Kickin' and a' gougin' in the mud and the blood and the beer.

Kicking and a' gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer.

I tell ya, I've fought tougher men,

I tell ya, I've fought tougher men

But I really can't remember when,

He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile.

I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss,

An' he went for his gun and I pulled mine first,

He went for his gun and I pulled mine first,

He stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile.

And he said, "Son, this world is rough,

And he said: "Son, this world is rough

And if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough.

And if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough

And I knew I wouldn't be there to help ya along.

So I give ya that name and I said goodbye,

So I give ya that name and I said goodbye

I knew you'd have to get tough or die.

I knew you'd have to get tough or die

And it's the name that helped to make you strong."

Yeah!

He said: "Now you just fought one hell of a fight

And I know you hate me, and you got the right

He said, "Now you just fought one hell of a fight.

And I know you hate me, and you got the right,

To kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do.

But ya oughtta thank me, before I die,

But ya ought to thank me, before I die,

For the gravel in yer guts and the spit in yer eye,

For the gravel in ya guts and the spit in ya eye

'Cause I'm the son-of-a-bitch[4] that named you, "Sue.'"

Cause I'm the son-of-a-bitch that named you "Sue.'"

Yeah, What could I do? What COULD I do?

I got all choked up and I threw down my gun

And I called him my pa, and he called me his son,

I got all choked up and I threw down my gun,

And I came away with a different point of view.

I called him my pa, and he called me his son,

And I come away with a different point of view.

And I think about him, now and then,

Every time I try and every time I win,

And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna name him...

And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna name him

Bill or George! Anything damn[5] thing but Sue!

Bill or George! Anything but Sue! I still hate that name!

I still hate that name!

Yeah.

[A BOY NAMED SUE]

[Written by: Shel Silverstein[1]

Performed by: Johnny Cash

Appears on: At San Quentin-1969[2], This is Johnny Cash-1973, Biggest Hits-1984,

The Essential Johnny Cash-1992 & 2002, The Line: Walking with a Legend-2008, et al.]

[1]Sheldon Alan "Shel" Silverstein (September 25, 1930–May 10, 1999),

was an American poet, songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist,

screenwriter and author of children's books.]

[2]Transcribed from the track on this album.]

[3]Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932–January 19, 1998), was an American

pioneer of rockabilly music, a mix of rhythm and blues and country

music, recorded most notably at Sun Records in Memphis, beginning in

1954. An outstanding performer, his touch on rock and roll music is

still heard to this day, especially through his fine compositions and

guitar playing. His best known song is "Blue Suede Shoes."]

[4]In the censored version, Cash sings, "...I'm the dirty, mangy dog

that named you...]

[5]In the censored version the word "damn" is left out.]

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