'Bout the time my daddy left to fight the big war
Saw my first pistol in the general store
The general store when I was thirteen
Thought it was the finest thing I ever had seen
I asked if I could have one someday when I grew up
Mama dropped a dozen eggs, she really blew up
She really blew up and I didn't understand
Mama said, "The pistol is the devil's right hand"
The devil's right hand, the devil's right hand
Mama said, "The pistol is the devil's right hand"
My very first pistol was a cap and ball colt
Shoots like lightnin' but it loads a mite slow
Loads a mite slow and I soon found out
Get you into trouble but it can't get you out
So then I went and bought myself a colt 45
Called a peacemaker but I never knew why
I never knew why, I didn't understand
Mama said, "The pistol is the devil's right hand"
The devil's right hand, the devil's right hand
Mama said, "The pistol is the devil's right hand"
The devil's right hand, the devil's right hand
Mama said, "The pistol is the devil's right hand"
I got into a card game in a Cumberland Town
Caught a miner cheating I shot the dog down
Shot the dog down, I watched the man fall
Never touched his holster, never had a chance to draw
The trial was in the morning and they drug me out of bed
Asked me how I pleaded, "Not guilty", I said
"Not guilty", I said, you've got the wrong man
Nothing touched the trigger but the devil's right hand
The devil's right hand, the devil's right hand
Nothing touched the trigger but the devil's right hand
The devil's right hand, the devil's right hand
Nothing touched the trigger but the devil's right hand
Mama said, "The pistol is the devil's right hand"