my daddy left home when i was three
and he didnt leave much to ma and me
just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze
now i dont 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 o'thought that it was quite a joke
and it got a lot of laughs from a lot of folk
it seems i had to fight my whole life through
some gal would giggle and id get red
and some guy would laugh and i bust his head
i tell ya life aint easy for a boy named sue

well i grew up quick and i grew up mean
my fist got hard and my wits got keen
id roam from town to town to hide my shame
but i made a vow to the moon and stars
that id search the honky-tonks and bars
and kill that man who gave me that awful name


well it was galtinburg in mid july
and i just hit town and my throat was dry
i thought id stop and have myself a brew
at an old saloon on a street of mud
there at a table dealing stud
sit that dirty mangy dog that named me sue


well i knew that snake was my own sweet dad
from a worn out picture that my motherd had
and i knew that scar on his check and is evil eye
he was big and bent and grey and old
and i look at him and my blood ran cold
and i said my name is sue how do u do
now your gonna die


well i hit him hard right between the eyes
and he went down but to my surprise
he came up with a knife and i cut off a peice of my ear
but i busted a chair right a across his teeth
and we crashed through the wall and into the street
kicking and a gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer


i tell ya i fought tougher men
but i really cant remember when
he kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile
i heard him laugh then i heard him cuss
he went for his gun but i pulled mine first
he stood there looking at me and i saw him smile


and he said son this world his rough
and if a mans gotta make it then hes got to be tough
and i knew i wouldnt be there to help ya along
so i give ya that name and i said goodbye
i knew youd have to get tough or die
and its the name that helped to make you strong


he said now you just fought one hell of a fight
and i know you hate me you got that right
to kill me now i wouldnt blame you
but you oughta think me before i die
for the gravel in ya guts and that spite in ya eye
cause im the sone - of - a ***** that named you sue


i got all choked up and i threw down my gun
and i called him my pa and he called me his son
and i came away with a diffrent point of veiw
and i think about him now and then
every time i try i win
and if i ever have a son i think i am gonna name him
bill or george anything but sue i still hate that name