A   A 


[Verse 1]
                                                                                     
  A                                  E                  A
A young cowboy named Billy Joe grew restless on the farm,
                                  E              A                     
a boy filled with wanderlust, who really meant no harm.
   D 
He changed his clothes and shined his boots and combed his dark hair down.
        A
And his mother cried as he walked out,


[Chorus]

       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."


[Verse 2]

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


[Chorus]

       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."


[Verse 3]

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


[Chorus]

       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."


[Verse 4]

   A                                   E                A   
He drank his first strong liquor then to calm his shaking hand,
                                    E           A
and tried to tell himself at last he had become a man.
  D 
A dusty cowpoke at his side began to laugh him down.
       A
And he heard again his mother's words:


[Chorus]

       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."


[Verse 5]

A                                    E              A
Filled with rage the Billy Joe reached for his gun to Draw
                                           E              A   
but the stranger drew his gun and fired before he even saw.
   D
As Billy Joe fell to the floor the crowd all gathered 'round
    A
and wondered at his final words:


[Chorus]

       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."