This song was previously transcribed by Gene L. Graham
This transcription is in a different key and has one more verse. I've also
added a little more detail and some tabs to help you play it alternating
bass style. This ties in with part two of my lesson on alternating bass.
I transcribed this song from the CD, "Johnny Cash - Columbia Records
1958-1986". According to the liner notes, it was recorded August 13, 1958
at the Owen Bradley Studios in Nashville. It starts out with very sparse
musical accompaniment (basically just the bass notes - no chords) then
breaks into an alternating bass rhythmn at the end of the first chorus.
JOHNNY CASH
DON'T TAKE YOUR GUNS TO TOWN
>From "Johnny Cash, Columbia Records 1958-1986"
- Copyright 1987, Columbia/CBS Music Products Inc.
Key of Bb. Capo first fret and play in A.
Lower case letter = pick bass note only (don't strum chord)
Play the verses at a fairly quick tempo, but slow it way down for the chorus.
INTRO: |a a |a a (Pick the bass note on beat 1 and 3. No strumming)
|a a |e a
A young cowboy named Billy Joe grew restless on the farm
|a a |e a
A boy filled with wanderlust who really meant no harm
|d d |d d
He changed his clothes and shined his boots and combed his dark hair down
|a 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 D(strum) |A* |A
[pause] Don't take your guns to town."
(Start playing alternating bass rhythm at the asterisk, and continue to the
end of the song)
|A |E A
He laughed and kissed his mom and said, "Your Billy Joe's a man.
|A |E A
I can shoot as quick and straight as anybody can,
|D |D
But I wouldn't shoot without a cause, I'd gun nobody down."
|A
But she cried again as he rode away...
CHORUS (slowly):
|D A
"Don't take your guns to town, son
|D A
Leave your guns at home, Bill...
|NC D |A |A
[pause] Don't take your guns to town." (resume full tempo)
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...
[CHORUS]
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...
[CHORUS]
Bill was raged and 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...
Final Chorus: Don't take your guns to town, son
Leave your guns at home, Bill...(pause)
| (pause) d D(strum) |a e a e |a e a...
Don't take your guns to town.
TABS: (Fret numbers are relative to the capo, not the nut. I had
to stretch out some bars to line up with the lyrics, so
I've numbered the beats above each bar)
VERSES (using words from verse two as the example)
Line 1 and 2 are the same chords:
[A] [E] [A]
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|-----------0----------0-------0----------0--|----0--------0-----0-----0-|
B|-----------2----------2-------2----------2--|----0--------0-----2-----2-|
G|-----------2----------2-------2----------2--|----1--------1-----2-----2-|
D|-----------2----------2-------2----------2--|----2--------2-----2-----2-|
A|---0-------0----------0---0---0----------0--|----2--2-----2-0---0-----0-|
E|-----------x---0------x-------x---0------x--|-0--0--------0-----x--0--x-|
1)He laughed and kissed his mom and said, "Your Billy Joe's a man
2) I can shoot as quick and straight as a- ny-bo- dy can
Line 3
[D] [D]
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|----2----------2-------2--------2--|----2---2------2-----2---|
B|----3----------3-------3--------3--|----3---3------3-----3---|
G|----2----------2-------2--------2--|----2---2------2-----2---|
D|0---0----------0---0---0--------0--|0---0---0--0---0-----0---|
A|----x----0-----x-------x-0------x--|----x-0-x------x--0--x---|
E|----x----------x-------x--------x--|----x---x------x-----x---|
I wouldn't shoot without a cause, I'd gun nobody down."
Line 4
[A]
1 + 2 + 3 + 4...
e|--------0---------0-------0----------|
B|--------2---------2-------2----------|
G|--------2---------2-------2----------|
D|--------2---------2-------2----------|
A|--0-----0---------0--0----0----------|
E|--------x-0-------x-------x-0--------|
She cried a-gain as he rode a-way...
CHORUS
Line 1 and 2 are the same chords:
[D] [A]
e|----------------2-------------0------|
B|----------------3-------------3------|
G|----------------2-------------3------|
D|-----0----------0-------------3------|
A|----------------x-------0-----0------|
E|----------------x-------------x------|
Don't take your guns to town, son
Leave your guns at home, Bill...
Line 3:
[NC] [D] [A]
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
e|------------------2-------|----0---0---0---0--|--0---0---0---0--|
B|------------------3-------|----2---2---2---2--|--2---2---2---2--|
G|------------------2-------|----2---2---2---2--|--2---2---2---2--|
D|--------0---------0-------|----2---2---2---2--|--2---2---2---2--|
A|------------------x-------|0---0---0-0-0---0--|0-0---0-0-0---0--|
E|------------------x-------|----x-0-x---x-0-x--|--x-0-x---x-0-x--|
Don't take your guns to town.
