Coward of the County - Juanita du Plessis

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 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 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, n'there was three of them Tommy opened up the door, and saw his 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 the 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 barroom One of them got up and met him halfway 'cross the floor When Tommy turned around they said, "hey look, old yeller'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 nothin' back, he let 'em have it all When Tommy left the barroom, 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 sure hope you understand Sometimes you gotta fight when you're a man" Everyone considered him the coward of the county

Nog 'n somerson kersfees Want die koningskind verjaar Ek skryf vir jou uit die noorde En sal die posduif vra Sal hy gaan draai in die suide By die berg en die see En daar waar my liefde kaalvoet loop Die nota vir jou gee Ek bring vir jou 'n sonneblom uit Bethlehem En gee dit water op Bloemfontein Uit Hanover bring ek kappertjiesaad Uit die tuin van nr 3 Darlingstraat En hanepoot druiwe uit die Paarlvallei Nog 'n somerson kersfees Want die koningskind verjaar Die suiderkruis my kompas En 'n eng'le koor ry saam En my hart gesels langsaam Oor die liefde, en ek weet Die herberg lê om die draai Jy wag vir my by die see Ek bring vir jou 'n sonneblom uit Bethlehem En gee dit water op Bloemfontein Uit Hanover bring ek kappertjiesaad Uit die tuin van nr 3 Darlingstraat En hanepoot druiwe uit die Paarlvallei Ek bring vir jou 'n sonneblom uit Bethlehem En gee dit water op Bloemfontein Uit Hanover bring ek kappertjiesaad Uit die tuin van nr 3 Darlingstraat En hanepoot druiwe uit die Paarlvallei

Pak op, pak op Sit jou goedjies op jou kop More gaan ons weg, Ver van hier weg Skipskop, skipskop, Wanneer hou die dinge op Swaarkry le net voor Die blou berge oor Overberg se mens Is ek gebore, Op die plek skipskop Nes my pa en sy pa ook. Hier deur die duine, loop onse spore Hier op die beach hier langs die see is ek gebore Maar wat ken ek anders As die bloudam se branders Die wolke en die winde wat hier waai Maar verkoop jou bootjie, pak op jou goedjies En se maar so long skipskop, skipskop se goodbye Linkerhand, o die regterhand Wat se kant le die plekke Misverstand 'Seblief meneer, ag se tog weer Is dit die pad wat ons moet more vat 'N stukkie le hier en 'n stukkie le daar Die stukkies van my lewe hulle le baie deurmekaar Tel op tel op vir shorty en vir pop Gaan haal vir apie en hou daai kindjie dop Maar wat ken ek anders As die blou dam se branders Die wolke en die winde wat hier waai Pak op jou goedjies, pak op jou goedjies, Se maar so long skipskop skipskop se goodbye Se maar so long skipskop skipskop se goodbye