Ev'ry one con-sidered him the coward of the county He never stood one single time to prove the county wrong His momma named him Tommy the folks just called him yellow Something always told me they were readin'Tommy wrong He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison I looked after Tommy 'cos he was my brothers son I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy Son my life is over but yours has just beg-un Promise me son not to do the things I've done walk away from trouble if you can Now it won't mean your weak if you turn the other cheek I hope your old enough to under-stand you don't have to fight to be a man There's someone for every one and Tommys love was Becky In her arms he didn't have to prove he was a man One day while he was workin'the Gatlin boys came callin' They took turns at Becky There was three of them Tommy open up the door and saw his Becky cryin' The torn dress the shattered look was more than he could stand He reached above the fire place and took down his daddys picture as the tears fell on his Daddys face he heard these words a-gain Promise me son not to do the things I've done walk away from trouble if you can Now it don't mean your weak if you turn the other cheek I hope your old en-ough to understand Son you don't have to fight to be a man 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 ol'Yellows leaving But you could-a heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and blocked the door Twenty years of crawlin'was bottled up in-side him he wasn't holdin'nothin'back he let 'em have it all when Tommy left the Bar room not a Gatlin boy was standin' He said this one's for Becky as he watched the last one fall And I heard him say. I promised you Dad not to do the things you done I walk away from trouble when I can now please don't think I'm weak I did-n't turn the other cheek and Popa I sure hope you understand some-times you've gotta fight when your a man Every one considered him the coward of the county