Tom: C  

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Everyone considered 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 mama named him Tommy, the folks just called him yellow,
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But someting always told me they were reading 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 cause he was my brother's 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 is just begun"
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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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It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek;
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I hope you're old enough to understand,
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Son you don't have to fight to be a man."
        D                        G                D
There's someone for everyone and Tommy's love was Becky,
                                             A
In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man.
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One day while he was working, the Gatlin boys came callin',
                                    A        D
They took turns at Becky, there was three of them!
D                            G             D
Tommy opened up the door and saw his Becky cryin',
                                                          A
The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand.
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He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy's picture.
                                          A                 D
As his tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again;
                         G                  D
"Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done,
                              A
Walk away from trouble if you can.
D                                G              D
It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek;
                                  A
I hope you're old enough to understand,
                                    D
Son you don't have to fight to be a man."
                                            G               D
The Gatlin Boys just laughed at him when he walked into the bar room.
                                                  A
One of them got up and met him halfway 'cross the floor.
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When Tommy turned areound they said, "Hey look ol' yellow's leavin'."
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But you coulda heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and blocked the door.
                             G            D
Twenty years of crawling was bottled up inside him ,
                                                  A
He wasn't holding nothin' back he let 'em have it all.
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When Tommy left the bar room not a Gatlin boy was standin',
                                     A                    D
He said this one's for Becky," as he watched the last one fall.

(And I heard him say)
                          G                 D
I promised you Dad not to do the things you done,
                                A
I walk away from trouble when I can.
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Now please don't think I'm weak I didn't turn the other cheek,
                                A
And Poppa, I sure hope you understand:
                                        D
Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man.
                            G             D
Everyone considered him the coward of the county.