A Boy Named Sue
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Thank you
Well my daddy left home when I was three
Didn't leave much to my mom and me
Except this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze
Now, I don't blame him 'cause he run and hid
But the meanest thing that my daddy ever did
Was before he left, he went and named me Sue
He must've thought that it was quite a joke
And I got a lot of laughs from a' lots of folk
Some gal would giggle and I'd turn 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 fist got hard and my wits got keener
Roam from town to town to hide my shame
But I made me a vow to the moon and stars
I'd search the honky tonks and bars
And kill that man that gave me that awful name
Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July
And I just hit town and my throat was dry
Thought I'd stop and have myself a brew
At an old saloon on a street of mud
There at a table, dealing 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 that my mother'd had
Knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye
He was big and bent and gray and old
And I looked at him and my blood ran col
And I said, "my name is Sue, how do you do?
Now you gonna die"
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
Then I busted a chair right across his teeth
And we crashed through the walls and into the street
Kicking and a' gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer
Well I tell ya, I've fought tougher men
But I really can't 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 reached for his gun but 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's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough
And I knew I wouldn't be there to help you along
So I give ya that name and I said goodbye
And I knew you'd have to get tough or die
It's that name that helped to make you strong"
He said, "now you just fought one heck of a fight
And I know you hate me, and you got the right
To kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do
But y ought to thank me, before I die
For the gravel in ya gut and the spit in ya eye
'Cause I'm the, that named you Sue"
What could I do?
I got all choked up and I threw down my gun
I called him my pa, and he called me his son
Come away with a different point of view
And I think about him, now and then
Every time I try and every time I win
And if I ever have a boy, I'll name him
Bill or George or Frank, anything but Sue, Petor, I hate that name, thank you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: SHEL SILVERSTEIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
"A Boy Named Sue" is a talking blues song written by American humorist and poet Shel Silverstein and made popular by American Country artist Johnny Cash. Cash recorded the song live in concert on February 24, 1969 at California's San Quentin State Prison for his At San Quentin album. Cash also performed the song (with comical variations on the original performance) in December 1969 at Madison Square Garden. The live San Quentin version of the song became Cash's biggest hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and his only top ten single there Read Full Bio"A Boy Named Sue" is a talking blues song written by American humorist and poet Shel Silverstein and made popular by American Country artist Johnny Cash. Cash recorded the song live in concert on February 24, 1969 at California's San Quentin State Prison for his At San Quentin album. Cash also performed the song (with comical variations on the original performance) in December 1969 at Madison Square Garden. The live San Quentin version of the song became Cash's biggest hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and his only top ten single there, spending three weeks at No. 2 in 1969 (it was held out of the top spot by "Honky Tonk Women" by The Rolling Stones). The track also topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts that same year and was certified Gold on August 14, 1969, by the RIAA.
Silverstein's own recording was released the same year as "Boy Named Sue", a single on the album Boy Named Sue (and His Other Country Songs),
The song tells the first-person story of a boy named "Sue," whose father, before walking out of his life, named him that in order to make him strong. Unbeknownst to the, now, man, he meets his father and a barroom brawl ensues.
Silverstein's own recording was released the same year as "Boy Named Sue", a single on the album Boy Named Sue (and His Other Country Songs),
The song tells the first-person story of a boy named "Sue," whose father, before walking out of his life, named him that in order to make him strong. Unbeknownst to the, now, man, he meets his father and a barroom brawl ensues.
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
lactic acid
[LYRICS]
Well, my daddy left home when I was three
And he didn't leave much to ma and me
Just this old guitar and a empty bottle of booze
Now, I don't blame him 'cause he run and hid
But the meanest thing that he ever did
Was before he left, he went and named me Sue
Well, he musta thought that was quite a joke
And it got a lot of laughs from a' lots of folk
It seems I had to fight my whole life through
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 fist 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
I'd search the honkytonks and bars
And kill that man that give me that awful name
Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid July
And I just hit town and my throat was dry
I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew
At an old saloon on a street of mud
There at a 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 that my mother'd had
And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye
He was big and bent, and gray and old
And I looked at him, and my blood ran cold
And I said, "My name is Sue! How do you do?
Now you 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 teeth
And we crashed through the wall and into the street
Kickin' and a' gougin' in the mud and the blood and the beer
I tell ya, I've fought tougher men
But I really can't 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's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough
And I know I wouldn't be there to help you along
So I give you that name and I said goodbye
I knew you'd have to get tough or die
And it's that name that helped to make you strong"
Yeah, he said, "Now you just fought one hell of a fight
And I know you hate me, and 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 in the eye
'Cause I'm the son of-a bitch that named you Sue
Yeah, what could I do? What could I do?
I got all choked up and I threw down my gun
I called him my pa, and he called me his son
And I come away with a different point of view
And I think about him now and then
Every time I try and every time I win
And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna name him
Bill or George any damn thing but Sue
I still hate that name
Yeah
teopini
Whoever censored a Johnny Cash song should get sent to Folsom Prison
JMSGridIron56
Gotta agree
doughesson
It was done mostly as a joke.
As a kid I tried figuring out which cuss word they'd bleeped but when I heard the uncensored version,I was waaay off.
It wasn't "Samsonite"...
Victor Mottern
When was the last time you seen a family member. Grow up.
tyler brandon
Amen to that
Flora Vega
I is
Amanda Kaysen
My dads name is Dennis Sue, after this song.
I used to bust out laughing everytime it came on BC naturally he hated it.
He passed earlier this week, and this song makes me smile.
Gage Cody R
F
Katie Ratliff
I am sorry about your lost
Carter Brown
I’m sorry for your loss man. I hope this song will your bring joy and good memories.