capo on 1st 
   A
A young cowboy named Billy Joe
      E             A
Grew restless on a farm.
   A
A boy filled with wonder lust
    E             A 
To really met no harm.
     D
He changed his clothes and shined his boots
     D
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...

He laugh 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 his 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 drink his first strong liqueur 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 young 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...