[Verse 1]
Everyone considered him 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 "yella"
Somethin' always told me they were readin' Tommy wrong
He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison
I took care of 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"

[Chorus]
Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done
Walk away from troublе if you can
Now it don't mean you're weak if you turn thе other cheek
I hope you're old enough to understand
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man

[Verse 2]
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 workin', the Gatlin boys came callin'
They took turns there at Becky and there was three of them
Tommy opened up the door and saw his Becky cryin'
The torn dress, the shattered look was more than he could stand
He reached above the fireplace, took down his daddy's picture
And as his tears fell on his daddy's face, he heard these words again
[Chorus]
Promise me, son, not to do the things I've done
Walk away from trouble if you can
Now it don'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

[Verse 3]
The Gatlin boys just laughed at him when he walked into the barroom
One of them got up and met him halfway towards the door
When Tommy turned around, they said, "Hey, look, old yellow's leavin'"
But you coulda heard a pin drop when Tommy stopped and locked the door
Twenty years of crawlin' was bottled up inside 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

[Chorus]
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 sure hope you understand
Sometimes, you gotta fight when you're a man

[Outro]
Everyone considered him the coward of the county