my daddy left home when i was three
and he didnt leave much to ma and me
just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze
now i dont blame him cause he ran and hid
but the meanest thing he ever did
was before he left he went and named me sue
well he must o`thought that it was quite a joke
and it got a lot of laughs from a lot of folk
it seems i had to fight my whole life through
some gal would giggle and id get red
and some guy would laugh and i bust his head
i tell ya life aint easy for a boy named sue
well i grew up quick and i grew up mean
my fist got hard and my wits got keen
id roam from town to town to hide my shame
but i made a vow to the moon and stars
that id search the honky-tonks and bars
and kill that man who gave me that awful name
well it was galtinburg in mid july
and i just hit town and my throat was dry
i thought id stop and have myself a brew
at an old saloon on a street of mud
there at a table dealing stud
sit that dirty mangy dog that named me sue
well i knew that snake was my own sweet dad
from a worn out picture that my motherd had
and i knew that scar on his check and is evil eye
he was big and bent and grey and old
and i look at him and my blood ran cold
and i said my name is sue how do u do
now your gonna die
well i hit him hard right between the eyes
and he went down but to my surprise
he came up with a knife and i cut off a peice of my ear
but i busted a chair right a across his teeth
and we crashed through the wall and into the street
kicking and a gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer
i tell ya i fought tougher men
but i really cant remember when
he kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile
i heard him laugh then i heard him cuss
he went for his gun but i pulled mine first
he stood there looking at me and i saw him smile
and he said son this world his rough
and if a mans gotta make it then hes got to be tough
and i knew i wouldnt be there to help ya along
so i give ya that name and i said goodbye
i knew youd have to get tough or die
and its the name that helped to make you strong
he said now you just fought one hell of a fight
and i know you hate me you got that right
to kill me now i wouldnt blame you
but you oughta think me before i die
for the gravel in ya guts and that spite in ya eye
cause im the sone - of - a ***** that named you sue
i got all choked up and i threw down my gun
and i called him my pa and he called me his son
and i came away with a diffrent point of veiw
and i think about him now and then
every time i try i win
and if i ever have a son i think i am gonna name him
bill or george anything but sue i still hate that name
