The Coward Of The County
Kenny Rogers 1979
  (Desert 50)   Al Horn
 
two columns

OPENER - MIDDLE BREAK - CLOSER    Basic - SSD Week 4

Sides face, grand square
*Everybody considered him the coward of the county
He never stood one single time to proove the county wrong
His mamma named him Tommy, folks just called him Yella
Something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong

Circle left
**Promise me son not to do the things I've done
Allemande and swing and promenade
***It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man


FIGURE (non progressive)    Plus, no progression

Heads flutter wheel, move it round the ring go
Star thru pass thru, dosado my friend
Swing thru, two by two, boys run to the right
Girls trade, tag the line, face to the right and then
Wheel and deal to face, single circle 3/4
When you're through, star thru, promenade and then
It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man


FIGURE (progressive)    Plus, corner progression

Heads up to the middle and back and then square thru
Four hands around the ring you're gonna move 'er go
Do the right and left thru, turn the girl, pass thru
Trade by, pass thru and trade by again
Dosado, look her in the eye, star thru, load the boat
Find the corner lady, you'll swing and promenade
It won't mean you're weak if you turn the other cheek
Son, you don't have to fight to be a man


ALTERNATE LYRICS

*He was only ten years old when his daddy died in prison
I looked after Tommy, he was my brother's son
I still recall the final words my brother said to Tommy
Son my life is over but yours is just begun


*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 stand'n
He said this one's for Becky as he watched the last one fall


**I promise you dad not to do the things you've done

***Now don't think I'm weak, I didn't turn the other cheek
Sometimes you gotta fight to be a man

Data page: https://www.ceder.net/recorddb/viewsingle.php?RecordId=3026
Cue sheet: https://www.ceder.net/recorddb/cuesheet.php?RecordId=3026
Lyrics:    https://www.ceder.net/recorddb/lyrics.php?LyricsId=184