Skip to content

Don’t Take Your Guns To Town Lyrics By Johnny Cash

    a young cowboy named billy joe grew restless on the farm
    a boy filled with wonderlust 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

    4
    he drank his first strong liquor then to calm his shaking hand
    and tried to tell himself atlast he had become a man
    a dusty cowpoke at his side began to laugh him down
    and he heard again his mothers words

    don’t take your guns to town son
    leave your guns at home bill
    don’t take your guns to town

    5
    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 around
    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

    Artist: Johnny Cash

    Year: 1959

    Decade: 50s

    Language: en

    Word Count: 164