The Devil's Right Hand
written by Steve Earle
from the album "Will The Wolf Survive"
10/16/05
NOTE: I checked, and I'm sure this is a different key than Earle's version.


INTRO: G

G
About the time my daddy left to fight the big war
                                     D
I saw my first pistol in the general store

In the general store when I was 13
                                     G
I thought it was the finest thing I ever had seen

So I asked if I could have one someday when I grew up
                                           D
Mama dropped a dozen eggs, she really blew up

Yeah she really blew up, she didn't understand
                            G
Mama said the pistol is the devil's right hand


CHORUS:
    C
The devil's right hand
    G
The devil's right hand
D                           G
Mama said the pistol is the devil's right hand


My very first pistol was a cap'n ball Colt
Shoot as fast as lightnin' but it loads a might slow
Loads a might slow, but soon I found out
It'll get you into trouble but it can't get you out
About a year later got a Colt .45
Called a Peacemaker but I never knew why
I never knew why, I didn't understand
'Cause mama said a pistol is the devil's right hand


CHORUS (2x)


G  D  G  


Got into a card game in a Cumberland town
Caught a man a-cheatin' so I shot the dog down
Shot the dog down, watched a man fall
Never touched his holster never had a chance to draw
My trial was in the mornin' and they drug me outta bed
Asked me how I pleaded "not guilty" I said
"Not guilty" I said "you got the wrong man
Nothin' touched the trigger but the devil's right hand"


CHORUS 2:
    C
The devil's right hand
    G
The devil's right hand
D                                   G
Nothin' touched the trigger but the devil's right hand


CHORUS 1


OUTRO: G 
       G  D  G
       G  D  G