Album: The Very Best of Kenny Rogers
Everyone considered him
The coward of the county
It never stool one single time
To prove the county's
His mama named him Tommy
The folks just called him Yellow
Something always told me
They were reading Tommy's wrong
He was only ten years old
When his daddy died in prison
I looked after Tommy
Because he's my brother's son
I still recalled the final words
My brother said to Tommy,
"Son, my life was over,
But yours just begun
Promised me son,
Not to do the things I've done,
Walked away form troubles if you can
It won't mean your weak
If you turned the other cheek
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 working
The gambling boys came calling
They took turns of Veckie
And there was three of them
Tommy opened up the door
Saw his Veckie crying
The torn dress, the shattered look
Is more than he could stand
He reached above the fire place
And took down his daddy's face
He heard these words again
Promised me son
Not to do the things I've done,
Walked away form troubles if you can
It won't mean your weak
If you turned the other cheek
I hope you're old enough to understand
Son you don't have to fight to be a man
The gambling boys just laughed at him
When he walked into the barroom
One of them got up
And meet him halfway cross the floor
When Tommy turn around
They said,
Hey look old Yellow's leaving
But you could have heard a pin drop
When Tommy stop and lock the door
The bottle up inside him
He let them have it all
He wouldn't hold nothing back
He let them have it all
When Tommy left the barroom
Not a gambling boy was standing
He said this one's for Veckie
As he watched the last one fall
I heard him say
I promised you dad
Not to do the things you've done,
I walked away form troubles when I can
Now please don't think I'm weak
I didn't turn the other cheek
And papa I surely hope you understand
Sometimes you got to fight when you're a man
Everyone considered him
The coward of the county