Billy Bardell was a hard ridin' stranger
That came to the cow camp that day
The glint of the sun on his low hangin' gun
Told a tale of a man on the run

(Run) Billy (run) Billy (run) Billy (run) Billy run
(Run Billy run) For as you live you will die you will die by the gun

Said his horse had give out and he'd liked a fresh mount
Any price that we'd ask he would pay
So we bade him get down throw his pack on the ground
And we'd soon have him back on his way

As he slowly got down he fell to the ground
And his face was so pallid and pale
Said I've run out out of luck I got shot in the gut
And the posse is hot on my trail

(Run) Billy (run) Billy (run) Billy (run) Billy run...

Then a poster he showed told the reason he rode
One thousand in cash was the price
This poor skinny kid had a price on his head
And the poster read dead or alive

In the story he told how his mother was old
And her eyesight was fast growin' dim
He asked us to claim the reward in her name
And not tell her it was for him

(Run) Billy (run) Billy (run) Billy (run) Billy run...

Then from the distance the poundin' of hoofbeats
There came the posse in sight
Billy Bardell as he looked toward heaven
Said I'll ride a new range tonight

(Run) Billy (run) Billy (run) Billy (run) Billy run...