'Bout the time that Daddy left to fight the big war 
I 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 some day 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 says 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 
It loads a mite slow, and soon I found out 
Gets 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 says the pistol is the devil's right hand 

The devil's right hand, the devil's right hand 
Mama says the pistol is the devil's right hand 
The devil's right hand, the devil's right hand 
Mama says the pistol is the devil's right hand 

I got into a card game in a company town 
I caught a miner cheating, I shot the dog down 

I shot the dog down, I watched the man fall 
He 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 says the pistol is the devil's right hand