Coward Of The Country
Kenny Rogers

Submitted By Tiny Man

[Intro]    C

C                                  F               C
Everyone considered him the coward of the county. He'd never stood one single time to prove
                    G              C                                     F                       C
The county wrong. His mama named him Tommy, the folks just called him yellow, but something
                                           G                  C
Always told me they were reading Tommy wrong.


C                              F                           C
He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison. I looked after Tommy 'cause he was my
                  G    C                                  F                 C
Brother?s son. I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy: "Son, my life is over, but
G              C
Yours is just begun.


[Chorus]
C                           F                     C     F                  C              G
Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done. Walk away from trouble if you can.
C                                        F                C                            F                G
It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek. I hope you're old enough to understand:
         G7                                 C
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."

[Key Changes]

C#                                       F#                   C#
There's someone for everyone and Tommy's love was Becky. In her arms he didn't have to prove
              G#       C#                                   F#                  C#
he was a man. One day while he was workin' the Gatlin boys came callin'. They took turns at
                G#                   C#
Becky.... There was three of them!





C#                                    F#               C#
Tommy opened up the door and saw his Becky cryin'. The torn dress, the shattered look was more
                        G#       C#                                    F#                        C#
than he could stand. He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy's picture.
                                             G#                      C#
As his tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again:


[Chorus]
C#                         F#                   C#    F#               C#            G#
Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done. Walk away from trouble if you can.
C#                                     F#              C#                            F#              G#
It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek. I hope you're old enough to understand:
         G#7                               C#
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."


[Key Changes]

D                                                     G                 D
The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the barroom. One of them got up and
                                             A             D                                        G
met him halfway 'cross the floor. When Tommy turned around they said, "Hey look! ol' yellow's
 D                                                                            A                                       D
leavin'." 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 inside him. He wasn't holdin' nothin' back; he let 'em
             A          D                                   G                  D
have it all. When Tommy left the barroom not a Gatlin boy was standin'. He said, "This one's for
                        A                         D
Becky," as he watched the last one fall. And I heard him say,







[Chorus]
D                            G                    D     G                   D              A
Promise me, Dad, not to do the things I've done. Walk away from trouble if you can.
D                                                  G                D                           G
Now please don't think I'm weak, I didn't turn the other cheek, and Papa, I sure hope you
A                      A7                               D
understand: Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man."
 D                           G                     D
Everyone considered him the coward of the county.