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 you re 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 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