Everyone considered him the coward of the county
He'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong
His mama called him Tommy, but folks just called him Yellow
Something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong

Now he was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison
And I took care of Tommy 'cause he was by brother's son
I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy
"Son my life is over, but yours has just begun"

(chorus)
Promise me son not to do the things I've done
Walk away from trouble if you can
Now it don't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
And I hope you're old enough to understand
Son you don't have to fight to be a man

There's someone for everyone and Tommy's love was Becky
In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man
One day while he was working the Gatlin boys came calling
They took turns at Becky .. and there were three of them

Tommy opened up the door and saw his Becky crying
The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand
He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy's picture
As his tears fell on his daddy's face he heard this word again

(chorus)

The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the bar room
One of them got up and met him half way cross the floor
When Tommy turned around they said "Hey look old Yellow's leaving"
But you could've heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and locked the door

Twenty years of crawling was bottled up inside him
He wasn't holdin' nothin' back, he let 'em have it all
When Tommy left the bar room not a Gatlin boy was standing
He said "this one's for Becky" as he watched the last one fall
an' I heard him say

I promised you dad not to do the things you've done
I'll walk away from trouble when I can
Now please don't think I'm weak, I didn't turn the other cheek
Papa I'm sure hope you understand
Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man

Everyone considered him the coward of the county

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