?[00:10.95]Ev'ryone considered him the coward of the county
[00:17.37]He'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong
[00:23.90]His mama named him Tommy
[00:26.81]the folks just called him yellow
[00:30.83]Something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong
[00:37.55]He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison
[00:44.11]I looked after Tommy 'cause he was my brother's son
[00:50.44]I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy
[00:57.19]Son my life is over but yours is just begun
[01:04.02]Promise me son not to do the things I've done
[01:09.30]Walk away from trouble if you can
[01:14.34]Now it won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
[01:19.62]I hope you're old enough to understand
[01:24.77]Son you don't have to fight to be a man
[01:30.13]There's someone for everyone and Tommy's love was Becky
[01:36.99]In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man
[01:43.23]One day while he was workin' the Gatlin boys came callin'
[01:50.20]They took turns at Becky
[01:53.10]there was three of them
[01:56.54]Tommy opened up the door and saw his Becky cryin
[02:03.17]The torn dress the shattered look was more than he could stand
[02:09.46]He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy's picture
[02:15.94]As his tears fell on his daddy's face, He heard these words again
[02:22.64]Promise me son not to do the things I've done
[02:28.00]Walk away from trouble if you can
[02:32.99]Now it won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
[02:38.19]I hope you're old enough to understand
[02:43.35]Son you don't have to fight to be a man
[02:48.77]The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the barroom
[02:55.52]One of them got up and met him halfway 'cross the floor
[03:01.85]When Tommy turned around they said Hey look! ol' yellow's leavin
[03:08.95]But you could've heard a pin drop
[03:10.94]when Tommy stopped and locked the door
[03:15.23]Twenty years of crawlin' was bottled up inside him
[03:21.55]He wasn't holdin' nothin' back; he let 'em have it all
[03:27.90]When Tommy left the barroom not a Gatlin boy was standin
[03:34.38]He said This one's for Becky as he watched the last one fall
[03:39.78]And I heard him say
[03:40.88]I promised you Dad not to do the things you done
[03:46.10]I've walked away from trouble when I can
[03:51.25]Now please don't think I'm weak I didn't turn the other cheek
[03:56.57]and Papa I sure hope you understand
[04:01.64]Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man
[04:07.17]Ev'ryone considered him the coward of the county