D

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


[Chorus]

      G                 D
Don't take your guns to town, son.
G                  D
Leave your guns at home, Bill.
      G                 D
Don't take your guns to town.

[Verse 2]

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

[Chorus]

      G                 D
Don't take your guns to town, son.
G                  D
Leave your guns at home, Bill.
      G                 D
Don't take your guns to town.

[Interlude]

D     G     D      C    D


[Verse 3]

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


[Chorus]

      G                 D
Don't take your guns to town, son.
G                  D
Leave your guns at home, Bill.
      G                 D
Don't take your guns to town.

[Interlude]

D     A     D
D     A     D
G
D
G D G D G D


[Verse 4]

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


[Chorus]

      G                 D
Don't take your guns to town, son.
G                  D
Leave your guns at home, Bill.
      G                 D
Don't take your guns to town.


[Verse 5]

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


[Chorus]

      G                 D
Don't take your guns to town, son.
G                  D
Leave your guns at home, Bill.
      G                 D
Don't take your guns to town.

[Interlude]

D     G     D      C    D


[Verse 5]

D                                        A                 D
Hundred and twenty years have passed and nothin's really changed
                                    A               D
A young man on the city streets, he has to make his name
     G
He's still too young to know a gun can't make a boy a man
        D
And his mama cries as he walks out

[Chorus]

      G                 D
Don't take your guns to town, son.
G                  D
Leave your guns at home, Bill.
      G                 D
Don't take your guns to town.