There's guns across the river 'bout to pound you,
There's a lawman on your trail like to surround you,
Bounty hunters are dancing all around you –
Billy, they don't like you to be so free.
Camping out all night on the veranda,
Walking the streets down by the hacienda,
Up to Boot Hill they'd like to send you –
Billy, don't you turn your back on me.
There's mirrors inside the minds of crazy faces,
Bullet holes and rifles in their cases,
There's always one more notch in four more aces,
Billy, and you're playing all alone.
Playing around with some sweet señorita,
Into her dark chamber she will greet you,
In the shadows of the Mesa she will lead you,
Billy, and you're going all alone.
They say that Pat Garrett's got your number,
So sleep with one eye open when you wonder
If every little sound just might be thunder,
Thunder from the barrel of his gun.
There's always another stranger sneaking glances,
Some trigger-happy fool willing to take chances,
Some old whore from San Pedro'll make advances,
Advances on your spirit and your soul.
The businessmen from Taos want you to go down,
So they've hired Mr. Garrett, he'll force you to slow down.
Billy, don't it make you feel so low-down
To be hunted by the man who was your friend?
So, hang on to your woman if you've got one –
Remember in El Paso once you shot one?
I'll be in Santa Fe about one –
Billy, you been running for so long.
Gypsy queens will play your grand finale
Way down in some Tularosa alley,
Maybe in La Rio Pecas valley –
Billy, you're so far away from home,
Billy, you're so far away from home,
Billy, you're so far away from home.