Father, I have come to tell you about something I done
Well, as the night reared its light head into a baby's sun
We rolled down into the town from where the Black Throats come
And you know there was a robbery, there was a holdup
Oh, there was a shootout, and there was a killing
And there's blood on my hands
Today I killed a man
Well now, sister, you know me well
And you ask me, well, how it was I felt
Well, she had an appetite for loving only a fading beauty could possess
She knew just what she wanted and she wouldn't take less
I figured it was a small town, it was at sundown
It was just a small crowd of people around
Oh, but he wouldn't put his guns down
No, he wouldn't put his guns down
Woah, he wouldn't put his guns down
Now, his blood's on my hands
Today I killed a man
And papa, you showed me the beauty of buckshot
The love song a bullet sings as she whistles
And showed me the story of the self-loading pistol
Well now, father, I have come to tell you about something I done
He had a widow running through town screaming
He had a brother and his tears were streaming
Now I'm moving on the border with a rifle on my shoulder
'Cause daddy, you showed me the beauty of buckshot
The love song a bullet sings as she whistles
And showed me the story of the self-loading pistol
And I just come to tell you that it don't hurt no more
No, it don't hurt no more 'cause your son, he's an outlaw
Oh, your son, he's an outlaw
Yes, your son, he's an outlaw
Oh, your son, he's an outlaw
Now, your son, he's an outlaw
Oh, your son, he's an outlaw
Now, his blood feels good on my hands
Today I killed a man