Kenny Rogers – Coward Of The County (Guitar)
Capo 3
Key
-
Auto-scroll
Speed:
1.0x
Chords
A D E E7 e|---0------2------0------0-----| B|---2------3------0------3-----| G|---2------2------1------1-----| D|---2------0------2------2-----| A|---0-------------2------2-----| E|-----------------0------0-----|
(In a moderate country half-time)
[Verse]
A D A Ev'ryone considered him the coward of the county. E He'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong. A D A His mama named him Tommy, the folks just called him yellow, E A but something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong. A D A He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison. E I looked after Tommy 'cause he was my brother's son. A D A I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy: E A "Son, my life is over, but yours is just begun.
[Chorus]
A D A Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done. D A E Walk away from trouble if you can. A D A It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek. D E I hope you're old enough to understand: E7 A Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."
(Slide capo to 4th fret)
[Verse]
A D A There's someone for ev'ryone and Tommy's love was Becky. E In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man. A D A One day while he was workin' the Gatlin boys came callin'. E (Spoken) A They took turns at Becky.... There was three of them! A D A Tommy opened up the door and saw his Becky cryin'. E The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand. A D A He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy's picture. E A As his tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again:
[Chorus]
A D A "Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done. D A E Walk away from trouble if you can. A D A It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek. D E I hope you're old enough to understand: E7 A Son, you don't have to fight to be a man."
(Slide capo to 5th fret)
[Verse]
A D A The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the barroom. E One of them got up and met him halfway 'cross the floor. A D A When Tommy turned around they said, "Hey look! ol' yellow's leavin'." (Spoken) E A But you coulda heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and blocked the door. A D A Twenty years of crawlin' was bottled up inside him. E He wasn't holdin' nothin' back; he let 'em have it all. A D A When Tommy left the barroom not a Gatlin boy was standin'. E A He said, "This one's for Becky," as he watched the last one fall.
(Spoken)
And I heard him say,
[Chorus]
A D A "I promised you, Dad, not to do the things you done. D A E I walk away from trouble when I can. A D A Now please don't think I'm weak, I didn't turn the other cheek, D E and Papa, I sure hope you understand: E7 A Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man." A D N.C. A Ev'ryone considered him the coward of the county.
COWARD OF THE COUNTY
[Verse]
|C | |F |C | Ev'ry one con-sidered him the coward of the county | | | |G | He never stood one single time to prove the county wrong |C | |F |C | His momma named him Tommy the folks just called him yellow | | | G7 |C | Something always told me they were readin' Tommy wrong | | |F |C | He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison | | | |G | I looked after Tommy 'cos he was my brothers son |C | |F |C | I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy | | | G7 |C | Son my life is over but yours has just beg-un
[Chorus]
|C | G7 C |F |C | Promise me son not to do the things I've done |F |C |G | walk away from trouble if you can |C | G7 C |F |C Now it won't mean your weak if you turn the other cheek |F |G I hope your old enough to under-stand |Dm7 |G7 |C | you don't have to fight to be a man
[Verse]
|D | |G |D There's someone for every one and Tommys love was Becky | | | |A | In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man |D | |G |D | One day while he was workin' the Gatlin boys came callin' | | | |A7 |D They took turns at Becky There was three of them | | |G |D | Tommy open up the door and saw his Becky cryin' | | | |A | The torn dress the shattered look was more than he could stand |D | |G |D | He reached above the fire place and took down his daddys picture | | | A |D as the tears fell on his Daddys face he heard these words a-gain
[Chorus]
|D | A D |G D | Promise me son not to do the things I've done |G |D A | walk away from trouble if you can |D | A D |G D | Now it don't mean your weak if you turn the other cheek |D |G |A | I hope your old en-ough to understand | |A7 |D 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 ol' Yellows leaving | A7 But you could-a heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and blocked the
door
|D | |G |D | Twenty years of crawlin' was bottled up in-side him | | | |A | he wasn't holdin' nothin' back he let 'em have it all |D | |G |D | when Tommy left the Bar room not a Gatlin boy was standin' | |A7 He said this one's for Becky as he watched the last one fall
And I heard him say.
[Chorus]
|D | A7 D |G |D I promised you Dad not to do the things you done |G |D |A7 I walk away from trouble when I can |D | A7 D |G |D | now please don't think I'm weak I did-n't turn the other cheek | |G |A |A7 | and Poppa I sure hope you understand some-times you've gotta fight |D | when your a man | | |G |D Everyone considered him the coward of the county