In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Everyone considered him the coward of the county
He'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong
His mama named him Tommy, but folks just called him Yellow
But something always told me, they were reading Tommy wrong
He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison
I looked after Tommy, 'cause he was my brother's son
I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy
"Son, my life is over, but yours has just begun"
"Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done
Walk away from trouble if you can
Now it won't mean you're weak if you turn 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 Becky
In her arms, he didn't have to prove he was a man
One day while he was working, the Gatlin boys came calling
They took turns at Becky an' there was three of them
Tommy opened up the door and saw Becky crying
The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand
He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy's picture
As his tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again
"Promise me, Son, not to do the things I've done
Walk away from trouble if you can
Now it won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
I hope you're old enough 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! Old Yellow's leaving"
But you could've heard a pin drop
When Tommy stopped and locked the door
Twenty years of crawling was bottled up inside him
He wasn't holding nothing back, he let 'em have it all
When Tommy left the bar room, not a Gatlin boy was standing
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've done
I walk away from trouble when I can
Now please don't think I'm weak, I didn't turn the other cheek
And Papa, I should hope you understand
Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man"
Everyone considered him the coward of the county
He'd never stood one single time to prove the county wrong
His mama named him Tommy, but folks just called him Yellow
But something always told me, they were reading Tommy wrong
He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison
I looked after Tommy, 'cause he was my brother's son
I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy
"Son, my life is over, but yours has just begun"
"Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done
Walk away from trouble if you can
Now it won't mean you're weak if you turn 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 Becky
In her arms, he didn't have to prove he was a man
One day while he was working, the Gatlin boys came calling
They took turns at Becky an' there was three of them
Tommy opened up the door and saw Becky crying
The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand
He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy's picture
As his tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again
"Promise me, Son, not to do the things I've done
Walk away from trouble if you can
Now it won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
I hope you're old enough 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! Old Yellow's leaving"
But you could've heard a pin drop
When Tommy stopped and locked the door
Twenty years of crawling was bottled up inside him
He wasn't holding nothing back, he let 'em have it all
When Tommy left the bar room, not a Gatlin boy was standing
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've done
I walk away from trouble when I can
Now please don't think I'm weak, I didn't turn the other cheek
And Papa, I should hope you understand
Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man"
Everyone considered him the coward of the county
Lyrics submitted by lunarxeclipse
Coward Of The County Lyrics as written by Billy Edd Wheeler Roger Dale Bowling
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Surely Tommy locked the door not looked at it?
I love this song, Kenny Rogers is such a wonderful storyteller through song. How he is not in the Country Music Hall of Fame is beyond me. Anyways, this song has always confused me. I am not sure if Tommy fought the Gatlin boys fisticuff style or shot them down.
Evidence for fisticuffs: 1) "Twenty years of crawlin' was bottled up inside him." 2) The chorus' specifically states fighting
Evidence for shooting: 1) Fighting 3 at once is near impossible, especially one who has not fought his whole life. 2)At the end of the song Everyone still considered him the coward of the county 3) The fact his father died in prison measn he did something much worse than fight, which portends a similar ending for Tommy 4) OK I admit it, Wishful thinking; I want them Gatlin Boys to die
I believe that fisitcuffs makes more sense. Tommy did not want to end up like his father, but could not longer turn the other cheek.<br /> <br /> I think he got so angry that he locked the door, and went at them.<br /> <br /> However "When Tommy left the barroom not a Gatlin boy was standin'" makes me want to rethink this
I was always confused by the last line of this song. Does it mean that everyone considered him the coward of the county... until then. Or does it mean that even after the fight in the bar everyone still considered him the coward of the county (maybe because he killed them in a cowardly way or something).
I think it's kind of what you first said; that they considered him the coward of the county until them. To me, it's kind of sarcastically saying how no one thought he was capable of physical harm and now look at the guys who crossed him.
I agree!
It's about a boy who never knew when to stand up for himself, and when he saw his father for the last time, in prison, his last words of advice being that his son avoid the temptation to fight for your pride around every corner of life... That it takes a strong person to turn the other cheek and not only take the pain, but also to avoid the assumed "shame."
After living for so many years by his fathers last words, one day he found out when to fight... The only way he would ever know when the right time is, is after he resists the wrong ones.
He was never weak, physically nor mentally, and the day someone (Gatlin boys) crossed 'that line' was the day they realized that. Whether he would have won or lost that fight, the county would never see him as a coward again.
Basically, the song is about being a real man... One who has respect, stands up for the truth and what he loves, and to know that he doesn't have to go through life puffing up his chest - Because when the time comes, you'll do just fine.
(FWIW, I never had a father and in my younger years this song really helped me through it all... And still does.)
Oops, typo... That should have read:
", but also to accept the assumed shame." (of being a coward)
My favorite part of the song is where the Gatlin Bros rape Becky in turns
LOL
It's about a coward.
YOUR song. Always will be. Print it. Frame it. and Put it on a wall in your house.
LOL...he's too scared to frame it. He'd have to take ownership of something in his life.
It's about a boy who was a wimp until his girlfriend was gang raped and then he figured that he sometimes has to fight to be a man.
It's about a boy who was a wimp until his girlfriend was gang raped and then he figured that he sometimes has to fight to be a man.