Is a 1958 single by Johnny Cash. The single was his fifth release to reach the number one position on the country chart, where it stayed for six weeks. “Don’t Take Your Guns to Town” was also a crossover hit peaking at number thirty-two on the pop chart. The song is also included in the live album VH1 Storytellers: Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson. The song was covered by U2 on their 2001 single “Elevation”.
Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.
The song tells the story of a young cowboy who, ignoring the titular advice from his mother, gets into a gunfight at a saloon and is killed.
On the original 45 record, it was paired with another good song: The B-Side was “I Still Miss Someone” from the pen of Johnny Cash and Roy Cash.
Johnny Cash December 1958
Dick Nolan 1961
Faron Young September 1963
Burl Ives February 1968
Ry Cooder 1986
Johnny Cash / Willie Nelson 1998
Charlie Robison September 24, 2002
Floyd Red Crow Westerman 2006
The Cashbags August 1, 2015
Miquel Batlle Garriga
mbatllegarriga@gmail.com