A
A young cowboy named Billy Joe
      E               A
Grew restless on the farm
   A
A boy filled with wonder lust
     E               A
Who really meant no harm
     D
He changed his clothes and shined his boots
     A
And combed his dark hair down
     A
And his mother cried as he walked out

      D                  A
Don't take your guns to town, son
D                   A
Leave your guns at home, Bill
       D                 A
Don't take your guns to town

    A
He left and kissed his mom and said
     E               A
"Your Billy Joe's a man
A
I can shoot as quick and straight
E           A
as anybody can
       D
But I wouldn't shoot without a cause
     D
I'd gun nobody down"
          A
But she cried again as he rode away

      D                  A
Don't take your guns to town, son
D                   A
Leave your guns at home, Bill
       D                 A
Don't take your guns to town

    A
He sang his song as on he rode
     E                A
His guns hung at his hips
    A
He rode into a cattle town
    E             A
A smile upon his lips
     D
He stopped and walked into a bar
     D
And laid his money down
         A 
But his mother's words echoed again

      D                  A
Don't take your guns to town, son
D                   A
Leave your guns at home, Bill
       D                 A
Don't take your guns to town

     A
He drank his first strong liqueur then
    E                A
To calm his shaking hands
      A       
And tried to tell himself at last
    E            A
He had become a man
   D
A dusty cowpoke at his side
   D
Began to laugh him down
        A
And he heard again his mother's words

      D                  A
Don't take your guns to town, son
D                   A
Leave your guns at home, Bill
       D                 A
Don't take your guns to town

 A
Filled with rage then Billy Joe
     E                   A
Reached for his gun to draw
           A
But the stranger drew his gun and fired
 E              A
Before he even saw
    D
As Billy Joe fell to the floor
      D
The crowd all gathered round
     A    
And wondered at his final words

            D                  A
Don't take your guns to town, son
D                   A
Leave your guns at home, Bill
       D                 A
Don't take your guns to town