Well, my daddy left home when I was three and he didn't leave much to ma and me, just this old guitar and empty bottle of booze, now I don't blame him 'cause he ran and hid, but the meanest thing he ever did was before he left he went and named me Sue.
Well he must a' thought that it was quite a joke and it got a lot of laughs from lots of folks, it seems I had to fight my whole life trough, some gal would giggle and I'd get red, and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head, I tell ya life ain't easy for a boy named Sue.
Well I grew up quick and I grew up mean, my fists got hard and my wits got keen, I'd roam from town to town to hide my shame, but I made me a vow to the moon and stars that I'd search the honky-tonks and bars and kill that man that give me that awful name.
Well it was Gatlinburg in mid july and I'd just hit town and my throat was dry I tought I'd stop and have myself a brew at that old saloon on a street of mud, there at the 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 my mother'd had and I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye, he was big and bent and grey and old and I looked at him and my blood ran cold and i'd said 'My name is Sue! How do you do? now you're 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 he come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear, but I busted a chair right across his theeth and we crashed trough the wall and into de street kickin' and gougin' in the mud and the blood and the beer; I tell ya I've fought tougher men but I really can' 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 gonna make it he's gotta be tough, and I know I wouldn't be there to help you along, so I gave you that name and said goodbye I knew you'd have to get tough or die and it's the name that make you strong." He said " Now you just fought one a hell of a fight and I know you hate me now 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 on your eye, 'cause I'm the son of a bitch that named you Sue"
Yeah! well what could I do?
WHAT COULD I DO?
I got all choked up and I threw my down my gun and I called him my pa and he called me his son and I come away with a different pont of view, and I think about him now and then every time Itry, and every time I win.
And if I ever have a son I think I am gonna name him BILL OR GEORGE, ANY DAMN THING BUT SUE.