About The Song
“Don’t Take Your Guns to Town” is a classic country song performed by the legendary singer-songwriter Johnny Cash. Written by Cash himself, the song was released in 1958 as a single from his album “The Fabulous Johnny Cash.”
The lyrics of “Don’t Take Your Guns to Town” tell the cautionary tale of a young cowboy who ignores his mother’s advice and takes his guns with him when he goes into town. Despite her warnings about the dangers of carrying firearms, the cowboy’s bravado leads to a tragic confrontation with a stranger in a saloon, resulting in his untimely death.
Cash’s deep, resonant vocals and the song’s stirring melody capture the tension and drama of the narrative, conveying a sense of regret and caution. The song’s powerful storytelling and evocative imagery earned it critical acclaim and commercial success, becoming one of Cash’s signature songs.
“Don’t Take Your Guns to Town” resonated with audiences and critics alike, highlighting Cash’s ability to craft compelling narratives that explore themes of morality, consequence, and the human condition. It remains a timeless classic in the country music canon, beloved by fans of Johnny Cash and country music enthusiasts around the world.
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Lyrics
A boy filled with wanderlust 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, “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 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 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, 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”