Recitation Song/A Boy Named Sue

John R. "Johnny" Cash(1932년 ~ 2003년) 미국의 싱어송라이터이자, 배우, 작가.  20세기의 영향력 있는 음악가로 평가를 받는  그는 컨트리 음악의 왕이라는 별명을 얻었다. 오늘 소개하는 A Boy Named Sue는  시인, 작가 겸 만화가인  Shel Silverstein (1930–1999)의 곡으로 1969년 San Quentin 주립교도소에서의 공연실황을 녹음하여 발표하여 빌보드 컨츄리 챠트 및 핫챠트 각각 1위 및 2위에 오른곡이다. 노래의 내용은 무법자 아버지가 어머니와 어린 자신을 버리고 떠날때 낡은 기타와 빈 술병한개만 남기고 떠났는데 나에게는 Sue라는 여자 이름을 붙여줬다는 내용이다. 어렸을때부터 친구들로 부터 Sue라는 여자 이름 때문에 놀림을 받으며 커온 결과 자신도 골치덩어리 인생실패자로 성장하여 아버지를 원망하던 중 어느날 아버지에게 복수하겠다고 찾아 나서는데.......   Johnny Cash / A Boy Named Sue (1969)San Quentin 주립 교도소 공연 실황 녹음 오리지널 버젼 Johnny Cash / A Boy Named Sue  Shel Silverstein / A Boy Named Sue 작곡자가 부르는 버젼  "A Boy Named Sue" 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 cause he run and hid But the meanest thing that he ever did Was before he left, he went and named me "Sue". Well, he must o' thought that is quite a joke And it got a lot of laughs from a' lots of folk, It seems I had to fight my whole life through. Some gal would giggle and I'd get red And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head, I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named "Sue". Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean, My fist got hard and my wits got keen, I'd roam from town to town to hide my shame. But I made a vow to the moon and stars That I'd search the honky-tonks and bars And kill that man who gave me that awful name. Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July And I just hit town and my throat was dry, I thought I'd stop and 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". Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad From a worn-out picture that my mother'd had, And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye. He was big and bent and gray and old, And I looked at him and my blood ran cold And I said, "My name is 'Sue'! How do you do! Now you're gonna die!" Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes And he went down, but to my surprise, He come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear. But 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. I tell ya, I've fought tougher men But I really can't remember when, He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile. I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss, He went for his gun and I pulled mine first, He stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile. And he said, "Son, this world is rough And if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough And I knew I wouldn't be there to help ya along. So I give ya 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." He said, "Now you just fought one hell of a fight And I know you hate me, and you got the right To kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do. But ya ought to thank me, before I die, For the gravel in ya guts and the spit in ya eye Cause I'm the son of a bitch that named you 'Sue'." I got all choked up and I threw down my gun And I called him my pa, and he called me his son, And I came away with a different point of view. And 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!