This is one of very few songs where I change lyrics to minimize awkwardness.
Originally starts in C, then changes to C#, then to D,
I play in A capo 4 and skip the key changes.
Intro
A |
A | D | A |
Everyone considered him the | coward of the | county |
A | E | |
He’d n | ever stood one single time to prove the county | wrong |
A | D | A | |
His | mama named him Tommy, the | folks just called him | yellow |
A | E | A | |
But | something always told me they were | reading Tommy | wrong |
A | D | A |
He was only ten years old when his | daddy died in | prison |
A | E |
I looked after Tommy ‘cause he was my brother’s | son |
A | D | A | |
I | still recall the final words my | brother said to | Tommy |
A | E | A |
Son, my life is over, but | yours has just | begun |
A | D | A |
Promise me, son, not to | do the things I’ve | done |
D | A | E |
Walk away from | trouble if you | can |
A | D | A |
It won’t mean you’re weak if you | turn the other | cheek |
A | D | E | |
I h | ope you’re old | enough to under | stand |
E | A | |
Son, | you don’t have to fight to be a | man |
Original changes key up a half-step here
A | D | A | |
There’s s | omeone for everyone and | Tommy’s love was | Becky |
A | E |
In her arms he didn’t have to prove he was a | man |
A | D | A | |
One | day while he was workin’ the | Gatlin boys came | callin’ |
A | E | A |
They called Becky trashy, | told her she should | run |
A | D | A |
Tommy opened up the door and | saw his Becky | cryin’ |
A | E | |
The c | ryin’ eyes, the shattered look was more than he could | stand |
A | D | A | |
He | reached above the fireplace and took | down his daddy’s | picture |
A | E | A | |
As his | tears fell on his daddy’s face, he | heard these words | again |
A | D | A |
Promise me, son, not to | do the things I’ve | done |
D | A | E |
Walk away from | trouble if you | can |
A | D | A | |
Now | it won’t mean you’re weak if you | turn the other | cheek |
A | D | E | |
I h | ope you’re old | enough to under | stand |
E | A | |
Son, | you don’t have to fight to be a | man |
Original changes key up another half-step here
A | D | A | |
The G | atlin boys just laughed at him when he | walked into the | bar-room |
A | E |
One of them got up and met him halfway ‘cross the | floor |
A | D | A | |
When | Tommy turned around they said, hey | look ol’ yellow’s l | eavin’ |
Spoken
A | E | A |
But you coulda heard a pin drop when | Tommy stopped and blocked the d | oor |
A | D | A |
Twenty years of crawlin’ was | bottled up ins | ide him |
A | E | |
He | wasn’t holdin’ nothin’ back, he let ‘em have it | all |
A | D | A | |
When | Tommy left the bar-room not a | Gatlin boy was | standin’ |
A | E | A | |
He | said, this one’s for Becky, as he | watched the last one | fall |
Spoken
And I heard him say
A | D | A | |
I p | romised you, Dad, not to | do the things you’ve | done |
D | A | E |
I walk away from | trouble when I | can |
A | D | A | |
Now | please don’t think I’m weak, I didn’t | turn the other | cheek |
D | E | |
And papa, I sure | hope you under | stand |
E | A | |
Some | times you gotta fight when you’re a | man |
A | D | A |
Everyone considered him the | coward of the c | ounty |