Lyrics A Boy Named Sue - Live at San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, CA - February 1969 - Johnny Cash

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
But the meanest thing that he ever did
Was before he left, he went and named me Sue
Well, he musta thought that it was quite a joke
An' it got a lot of laughs from a lots a folks
Seems I had to fight my whole life through
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
Well, I grew up quick, and I grew up mean
My fist got hard, and my wits got keen
Roamed from town to town to hide my shame
But I made me a vow to the moon and stars
I'd search the honky-tonks and bars
And kill that man that give me that awful name
Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July
And I'd 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
Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named Sue
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 grey and old
And I looked at him and my blood ran cold, and I said
My name is Sue, how do you do?
Now you gonna die
Yeah, that's what I told him!
Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes
And he went down, but to my surprise
Come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear
But I busted a chair right across his teeth
And we crashed through the wall and into the street
Kickin' and a-gougin' in the the mud and the blood and the beer
I tell you 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
And he went for his gun, but I pulled mine first
He stood there lookin' at me, and I saw him smile
And he said, "Son, this world is rough
And if a man's gonna make it he's gotta be tough
And I know I wouldn't be there to help you along
So I give that name, and I said goodbye
I knew you'd have to get tough or die
And it's that name what helped to make you strong"
Yeah, he said, "Now you just fought one hell of a fight
And I know you hate me, and ya got the right
To kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do
But you oughta thank me before I die
For the gravel in your guts and the spit in your eye
'Cause I'm the son of a bitch that named you Sue"
Well, what could I do, what could I do?
I got a choked up, and I threw down my gun
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
Bill or George, any damn thing but Sue
I still hate that name, yeah
Thank you