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Artist: Kenny Rogers
Guitar Tab: Coward of the County
song lyrics |
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sheet music
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{t:Coward of the County}
{st:Kenny Rogers}
[A]Ev'ryone considered him the [D]coward of the [A]county.
He'd never stood one single time to prove the county [E]wrong.
His [A]mama named him Tommy, the [D]folks just called him [A]yellow,
but something always told me they were [E]reading Tommy [A]wrong.
[A]He was only ten years old when his [D]daddy died in [A]prison.
I looked after Tommy 'cause he was my brother's [E]son.
I [A]still recall the final words my [D]brother said to [A]Tommy:
"Son, my life is over, but [E]yours is just [A]begun.
[A]Promise me, son, not to [E]do the things I've [A]done.
[D]Walk away from [A]trouble if you [E]can.
[A]It won't mean you're weak if you [D]turn the other [A]cheek.
I hope you're old [D]enough to under[E]stand:
Son, [E7]you don't have to fight to be a [A]man."
[A]There's someone for ev'ryone and [D]Tommy's love was [A]Becky.
In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a [E]man.
One [A]day while he was workin' the [D]Gatlin boys came [A]callin'.
They took turns at Bec[E]ky.... [spoken]There was [A]three of them!
[A]Tommy opened up the door and [D]saw his Becky [A]cryin'.
The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could [E]stand.
He [A]reached above the fireplace and took [D]down his daddy's [A]picture.
As his tears fell on his daddy's face, he [E]heard these words [A]again:
[A]"Promise me, son, not to[E] do the things I've[A] done.
[D]Walk away from [A]trouble if you [E]can.
[A]It won't mean you're weak if you [D]turn the other [A]cheek.
I hope you're old [D]enough to under[E]stand:
Son, [E7]you don't have to fight to be a [A]man."
[A]The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he [D]walked into the [A]barroom.
One of them got up and met him halfway 'cross the [E]floor.
When [A]Tommy turned around they said, "Hey [D]look! ol' yellow's [A]leavin'."
[spoken]But you coulda heard a pin drop when [E]Tommy stopped and [A]blocked the door.
[A]Twenty years of crawlin' was [D]bottled up ins[A]ide him.
He wasn't holdin' nothin' back; he let 'em have it [E]all.
When [A]Tommy left the barroom not a [D]Gatlin boy was [A]standin'.
He said, "This one's for Becky," as he [E]watched the last one [A]fall.
[spoken]And I heard him say,
[A]"I promised you, Dad, not to [D]do the things you [A]done.
I walk away from trouble when I [E]can.
Now [A]please don't think I'm weak, I didn't [D]turn the other [A]cheek,
and Poppa, I sure [D]hope you under[E]stand:
Some[E7]times you gotta fight when you're a [A]man."
[A]Ev'ryone considered him the [D]coward of the [no chord]county. [A]
#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
#
Date: Sun, 02 Oct 1994 12:35:15 -0400 (EDT)
From: Alex Rudd
"Coward of the County" - by Kenny Rogers (1979)
Words and Music by Roger Bowling & Billy Edd Wheeler
SIMPed by Alex Rudd - ahrjj@cunyvm.cuny.edu
Chords:
A D E E7
E ---0------2------0------0-----
B ---2------3------0------3-----
G ---2------2------1------1-----
D ---2------0------2------2-----
A ---0-------------2------2-----
E -----------------0------0-----
Capo 3rd Fret
(In a moderate country half-time)
A D A
Ev'ryone considered him the coward of the county.
E
He'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong.
A D A
His mama named him Tommy, the folks just called him yellow,
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.
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:
E A
"Son, my life is over, but yours is just begun.
A E 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.
D E
I hope you're old enough to understand:
E7 A
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."
[Slide capo to 4th fret]
A D A
There's someone for ev'ryone and Tommy's love was Becky.
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'.
E [Spoken] A
They took turns at Becky.... There was three of them!
A D A
Tommy opened up the door and saw his Becky cryin'.
E
The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand.
A D A
He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy's picture.
E A
As his tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again:
A E 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.
D E
I hope you're old enough to understand:
E7 A
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."
[Slide capo to 5th fret]
A D A
The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the barroom.
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 leavin'."
[Whole line spoken] E A
But you coulda heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and blocked the door.
A D A
Twenty years of crawlin' was bottled up inside him.
E
He wasn't holdin' nothin' back; he let 'em have it all.
A D A
When Tommy left the barroom not a Gatlin boy was standin'.
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 promised you, Dad, not to do the things you done.
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 understand:
E7 A
Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man."
A D [No chords] A
Ev'ryone considered him the coward of the county.
From: raybailey@mistral.co.uk (Raymond Bailey)
Subject: CRD: C&W Coward Of The County
Date: Sat, 07 Oct 1995 04:51:14 GMT
COWARD OF THE COUNTY
|C | |F |C |
Ev'ry one con-sidered him the coward of the county
| | | |G |
He never stood one single time to prove the county wrong
|C | |F |C |
His momma named him Tommy the folks just called him yellow
| | | G7 |C |
Something always told me they were readin' Tommy wrong
| | |F |C |
He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison
| | | |G |
I looked after Tommy 'cos he was my brothers son
|C | |F |C |
I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy
| | | G7 |C |
Son my life is over but yours has just beg-un
|C | G7 C |F |C |
Promise me son not to do the things I've done
|F |C |G |
walk away from trouble if you can
|C | G7 C |F |C
Now it won't mean your weak if you turn the other cheek
|F |G
I hope your old enough to under-stand
|Dm7 |G7 |C |
you don't have to fight to be a man
|D | |G |D
There's someone for every one and Tommys love was Becky
| | | |A |
In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man
|D | |G |D |
One day while he was workin' the Gatlin boys came callin'
| | | |A7 |D
They took turns at Becky There was three of them
| | |G |D |
Tommy open up the door and saw his Becky cryin'
| | | |A |
The torn dress the shattered look was more than he could stand
|D | |G |D |
He reached above the fire place and took down his daddys picture
| | | A |D
as the tears fell on his Daddys face he heard these words a-gain
| | A D |G |
Promise me son not to do the things I've done
| |D |
walk away from trouble if you can
| | A D |G |
Now it don't mean your weak if you turn the other cheek
|D |G |A |
I hope your old en-ough to understand
| | A7 |D
Son you don't have to fight to be a man
|D | |C |D
The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the bar room
| | | | |
one of them got up and met him half way 'cross the floor
|D | |G |D |
when Tommy turned around they said Hey look ol' Yellows leaving
| A7
But you could-a heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and blocked the
door
|D | |G |D |
Twenty years of crawlin' was bottled up in-side him
| | | |A |
he wasn't holdin' nothin' back he let 'em have it all
|D | |G |D |
when Tommy left the Bar room not a Gatlin boy was standin'
| |A7
He said this one's for Becky as he watched the last one fall
And I heard him say.
|D | A7 D |G |D
I promised you Dad not to do the things you done
|G |D |A7
I walk away from trouble when I can
|D | A7 D |G |D |
now please don't think I'm weak I did-n't turn the other cheek
| |G |A |A7 |
and Popa I sure hope you understand some-times you've gotta fight
|D |
when your a man
| | |G |D
Every one considered him the coward of the county
Ray From Sussex England.
