Lyrics:

[Verse 1]
About the time my 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

[Chorus]
The devil's right hand, the devil's right hand
Mama said the pistol is the devil's right hand

[Verse 2]
My very first pistol was a cap and ball Colt
Shoots like lighting but it loads a-might slow
Loads a-might slow and soon I found out
It can get you into trouble but it can't get you out
[Jennings:]
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

[Chorus]
The devil's right hand, the devil's right hand
Mama said the pistol is the devil's right hand

[Chorus]
The devil's right hand, the devil's right hand
Mama said the pistol is the devil's right hand

[Instrumental break.]

[Verse 3]
I got into a card game in a Cumberland town
Caught a miner cheating and I shot the dog down
[Nelson:]
Shot the dog down, watched the man fall
Never touched his holster never had a chance to draw
[Kristofferson:]
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

[Chorus]
The devil's right hand, the devil's right hand
Mama said the pistol is the devil's right hand

[Outro]
Mama said the pistol is the devil's right hand