A Boy Named Sue (Live at San Quentin State Prison, San Quentin, CA - February 1969)

Well, my daddy left home when I was three

And he didn't leave much to ma and me

Just this old guitar and a 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 must've thought that it was quite a joke

And it got a lot of laughs from a lots of 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 honkytonks and bars

And kill that man that give me that awful name

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

Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me 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 gray 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 mud and the blood and the beer

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

And 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 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 you that name and I said goodbye

I knew you'd have to get tough or die

And it's that 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

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

But you oughtta thank me, before I die

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

'Cause I'm the - that named you Sue"

Yeah, what could I do? What could I do?

I got all 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! Anything but Sue! I still hate that name!