Billy Boy

My Mama raised me up to be a cowboy.
A cowboy's all I ever wanted to be.
I came alive to the cold steel of a forty-five.
The smell of the gun smoke set me free.

Mama raised me up to be a cowboy.
At thirteen I was out and on my own.
Made myself a name;
called out a man in a card game.
He cried, "Billy, you're just a kid."
Shot him dead just the same.

Yippee Yi Yaa,
Yippee Yi Yii,
Yippee Yi Yoo.

My mama raised me up to be cowboy.
I had my first woman at fifteen.
Followed her up the stairs,
closed my eyes and said my prayers
as she tied my down to the bed to set me free . . .

humin' "Billy Billy Boy, now don't you ride so fast."
Seems like someone's always tellin' me.
"Billy Billy Boy, you were too young,
too strong, too sure to last, too free . . .
way too God damn free.

My Mama raised me up to be cowboy.
But I built this life on the business end of a gun.
And I don't have a prayer for the day I leave it there
behind the smokin' muzzel of a Colt 41.

Yippee Yi Yaa,
Yippee Yi Yii,
Yippee Yi Yoo.

Now Billy Billy Boy, don't you ride too fast.
Seems like someone's always tellin' me.
Billy Billy Boy, you were too young,
too strong, too sure to last, too free.

My mama raised me up to be a cowboy.
A cowboy's all I ever wanted to be . . .