A YOUNG COWBOY
NAMED BILLY JOE
GREW RESTLESS
ON THE FARM
A BOY FILLED
WITH WANDERLUST
WHO REALLY
MEANT NO HARM
HE CHANGED
HIS CLOTHES AND
SHINED HIS BOOTS
AND COMBED HIS
DARK HAIR DOWN
AND HIS MOTHER CRIED
AS HE WALKED OUT
DON'T TAKE YOUR
GUNS TO TOWN SON
LEAVE YOUR GUNS
AT HOME BILL
DON'T TAKE YOUR
GUNS TO TOWN
HE LAUGHED AND
KISSED HIS MOM
AND SAID
YOUR BILLY JOE'S A MAN
I CAN SHOOT AS
QUICK AND STRAIGHT
AS ANYBODY CAN
BUT I WOULDN'T SHOOT
WITHOUT A CAUSE
I'D GUN NOBODY DOWN
BUT SHE CRIED AGAIN
AS HE RODE AWAY
DON'T TAKE YOUR
GUNS TO TOWN SON
LEAVE YOUR GUNS
AT HOME BILL
DON'T TAKE YOUR
GUNS TO TOWN
HE SANG A SONG
AS ON HE RODE
HIS GUNS HUNG
AT HIS HIPS
HE RODE INTO
A CATTLE TOWN
A SMILE UPON HIS LIPS
HE STOPPED AND
WALKED INTO A BAR
AND LAID HIS
MONEY DOWN
BUT HIS
MOTHER'S WORDS
ECHOED AGAIN
DON'T TAKE YOUR
GUNS TO TOWN SON
LEAVE YOUR GUNS
AT HOME BILL
DON'T TAKE YOUR
GUNS TO TOWN
HE DRANK HIS FIRST
STRONG LIQUOR THEN
TO CALM HIS
SHAKING HAND
AND TRIED TO
TELL HIMSELF AT LAST
HE HAD BECOME A MAN
A DUSTY COWPOKE
AT HIS SIDE
BEGAN TO
LAUGH HIM DOWN
AND HE HEARD AGAIN
HIS MOTHER'S WORDS
DON'T TAKE YOUR
GUNS TO TOWN SON
LEAVE YOUR GUNS
AT HOME BILL
DON'T TAKE YOUR
GUNS TO TOWN
FILLED WITH RAGE THEN
BILLY JOE REACHED
FOR HIS GUN TO DRAW
BUT THE STRANGER
DREW HIS GUN AND FIRED
BEFORE HE EVEN SAW
AS BILLY JOE FELL
TO THE FLOOR
THE CROWD ALL
GATHERED 'ROUND
AND WONDERED AT
HIS FINAL WORDS
DON'T TAKE YOUR
GUNS TO TOWN SON
LEAVE YOUR GUNS
AT HOME BILL
DON'T TAKE YOUR
GUNS TO TOWN