Sides face grand square
Well my daddy left home when I was three
And he didn't leave much to Ma and me
Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze
Now, I don't blame him that he run and hid
Cause the meanest thing that he ever did
Was before he left, he went and named me Sue (Circle left)
Well, he must o' thought that is quite a joke
And it got a lot of laughs from a' lots of folk (Allemande left and promenade)
So I made me a vow to the moon and stars
I'd search those honky-tonks and bars
And kill that man that gave me that awful name

Heads you promenade and go, halfway round the ring you do
Side two gonna do the right & left thru
Now square thru in the middle you go, four hands round you know
Dosado, do an eight chain 4
* Some gal would giggle and I'd get red
And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head
Swing that corner, promenade
** Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean
My fist got hard and my wits got keen
I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named Sue

Sides face grand square
Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July
And I just hit town and my throat was dry
I thought I'd stop 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 (Circle left)
He was big and bent and grey and old
I looked at him and my blood ran cold (Allemande and promenade)
I said: "My name is 'Sue!' How do you do!
Now you gonna die!" Yeah, that's what I told him!

Eight chain 4
* Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes
And he went down, but to my surprise
Swing your corner, promenade
** I busted a chair right across his teeth
And we crashed through the wall and into the street
Kicking and a' gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer
Eight chain 4
*I tell ya, I've fought tougher men
But I really can't remember when
He kicked like a mule and bit like a crocodile
Swing your corner, promenade
**I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss
He went for his gun and I pulled mine first...

Sides face, grand square
He said, "Son, this world is rough...
And if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough
And I know I wouldn't be there to help you along
So I give you that name and I said goodbye
I knew you'd have to get tough or die
And it's the name that helped to make you strong (Circle left)
I got all choked up and I threw down my gun
Called him my Pa, and he called me his son (Allemande and promenade)
I think about him, now and then
Every time I try and every time I win
And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna name him...
Bill or George! Anything but Sue!
I still hate that name!