Coward Of The County Chords by Kenny Rogers

[Start]

[Verse]
C                             F             C     
■ Everyone considered him the coward of the county
                                                     G7   
He'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong
C                            F                     C     
His mama named him Tommy but folks just called him Yellow
                                       G             C    
But something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong
                                   F             C     
He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison
                                                G7 
I looked after Tommy 'cause he was my brother's son
C                                 F               C    
I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy
                        G              C    
Son my life is over but yours has just begun


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


[Verse]
Db7                              Gb               Db   
There's someone for everyone and Tommy's love was Becky
                                             Ab7
In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man
    Db                           Gb               Db     
One day while he was working the Gatlin boys came calling
                         Ab7                    Db  
They took turns at Becky an' there was three of them
                             Gb        Db    
Tommy opened up the door and saw Becky crying
                                                         Ab7  
The torn dress the shattered look was more than he could stand
Db                                      Gb               Db     
He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy's picture
                                         Ab7               Db   
As his tears fell on his daddy's face he heard these words again


[Chorus]
                      Gb                 Db  
Promise me Son not to do the things I've done
Gb             Db             Ab7
Walk away from trouble if you can
Db                                   Gb             Db   
Now it won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
                  Gb        Ab7       
I hope you're old enough to understand
                                    Db  Db7
Son you don't have to fight to be a man ■  


[Verse]
D                                        G                  D       
The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the bar room
                                                  A7   
One of them got up and met him half way cross the floor
D                                      G                 D      
When Tommy turned around they said Hey look Old Yellow's leaving
                                       A7                           D   
But you could've heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and locked the door
                             G          D         
Twenty years of crawling was bottled up inside him
                                                  A7 
He wasn't holding nothing back he let 'em have it all
D                                  G              D       
When Tommy left the bar room not a Gatlin boy was standing
                                   A7                   D   
He said This one's for Becky as he watched the last one fall
      D            
And I heard him say


[Chorus]
                          G             D          
I promised you Dad not to do the things you've done
  G              D              A7 
I walk away from trouble when I can
D                                        G              D    
Now please don't think I'm weak I didn't turn the other cheek
           G               A7        
And Papa I should hope you understand
                                        D  
Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man
                            G                   
Everyone considered him the coward of the county


[End]