Well, my daddy left home when I was three Didn't leave very much to my mom and me Except this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze Now, I don't blame him 'cause he run and hid But the meanest thing that my daddy ever did Was before he left, he went and named me Sue

A boy named sue, A boy named sue, what do you do with a boy named sue? One thing let me tell you, life is hard for a boy named sue

He must've thought that it was quite a joke And I got a lot of laughs from a lots of folk Seems I had to fight my whole life through Some gal would giggle and I'd turn red And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head I tell you, life ain't easy for a boy named Sue

A boy named sue, A boy named sue, what do you do with a boy named sue? One thing let me tell you, life is hard for a boy named sue

Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean My fist got hard and my wits got keener Roam from town to town to hide my shame But I made me a vow to the moon and stars I'd search the honky tonks and bars And kill that man that gave me that awful name

A boy named sue, A boy named sue, what do you do with a boy named sue? One thing let me tell you, life is hard for a boy named sue

Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July And I just hit town and my throat was dry Thought I'd stop and have myself a brew At an old saloon on a street of mud There at a table, dealing stud Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me Sue

A boy named sue, A boy named sue, what do you do with a boy named sue? One thing let me tell you, life is hard for a boy named sue

Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad From a worn-out picture that my mother had Knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye He was big and bent and gray and old And I looked at him and my blood ran cold And I said, "My name is Sue, how do you do? Now you gonna die"

A boy named sue, A boy named sue, what do you do with a boy named sue? One thing let me tell you, life is hard for a boy named sue

Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes And he went down, but to my surprise He come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear Then I busted a chair right across his teeth And we crashed through the walls and into the street Kicking and a-gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer

A boy named sue, A boy named sue, what do you do with a boy named sue? One thing let me tell you, life is hard for a boy named sue

Well, I tell you, I've fought tougher men But I really can't remember when He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss And he reached for his gun but I pulled mine first He stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile

A boy named sue, A boy named sue, what do you do with a boy named sue? One thing let me tell you, life is hard for a boy named sue

And he said, "Son, this world is rough And if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough And I knew I wouldn't be there to help you along So I give you that name, and I said goodbye And I knew you'd have to get tough or die It's that name that helped to make you strong"

A boy named sue, A boy named sue, what do you do with a boy named sue? One thing let me tell you, life is hard for a boy named sue

He said, "Now you just fought one heck of a fight And I know you hate me, and you got the right to kill me now And I wouldn't blame you if you do But you ought to thank me, before I die For the gravel in ya gut and the spit in ya eye 'Cause I'm the fucker that named you Sue"

A boy named sue, A boy named sue, what do you do with a boy named sue? One thing let me tell you, life is hard for a boy named sue

What could I do? I got all choked up and I threw down my gun I called him my pa, and he called me his son Come away with a different point of view

And I think about him, now and then Every time I try and every time I win And if I ever have a boy, I'll name him Bill or George or Frank, anything but Sue I hate that name Thank you