About 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
I 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 cock and bolt Colt
shoots like lightning but it loads a mite slow
loads a mite slow and I soon found out
it 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 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

I got into a card game in a company town
caught a miner cheating and I shot the dog down
shot the dog down and I watched the man fall
never reached 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 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
mama said the pistol is the devil's right hand

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