Kenny Rogers - Coward Of The County

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ev’ry one con – sidered him the coward of the county
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he never stood one single time to prove the county wrong
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his momma named him tommy the folks just called him yellow
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something always told me they were readin’ tommy wrong

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he was only ten years old when his Daddy died in prison
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i looked after tommy ’cos he was my brothers son
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i still recall the final words my brother said to tommy
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son my life is over but yours has just beg – un

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promise me son not to do the things i’ve done
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walk away from trouble if you can
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now it won’t mean your weak if you turn the other cheek
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i hope your old enough to under – stand
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you don’t have to fight to be a man

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there’s someone for every one and tommys love was becky
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in her arms he didn’t have to prove he was a man
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one day while he was workin’ the gatlin boys came callin’
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they took turns at becky there was three of them

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tommy open up the door and saw his becky cryin’
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the torn dress the shattered look was more than he could stand
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he reached above the fire place and took down his Daddys picture
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as the tears fell on his Daddys face he heard these words A – gain

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promise me son not to do the things i’ve done
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walk away from trouble if you can
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now it won’t mean your weak if you turn the other cheek
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i hope your old enough to under – stand
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you don’t have to fight to be a man

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the gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the bar room
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one of them got up and met him half way ’cross the floor
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when tommy turned around they said hey look ol’ yellows leaving
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but you could – a heard a pin drop when tommy stopped and locked the door

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twenty years of crawlin’ was bottled up in – side him
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he wasn’t holdin’ nothin’ back he let ’em have it all
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when tommy left the bar room not a gatlin boy was standin’
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he said this one’s for becky as he watched the last one fall

and i heard him say .
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i promised you dad not to do the things you done
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i walk away from trouble when i can
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now please don’t think i’m weak i did – n’t turn the other cheek
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and popa i sure hope you understand some – times you’ve gotta fight
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when your a man
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every one considered him the coward of the county