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 no body down
but his mother cried 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 hands
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. "