Mama said, there's
Something weird bout Billy
I looked in his room, his bed
Wasn't slept in at all last night

But Papa said, ah, now Mama
Don't you go talking silly
He's just a young boy
He's just sowing his wild oats
And that's all right

But Mama said, no
There's something real
Strange bout my Billy
The farmer down the road said he
Lost a few of his sheep last night

I know he's my own flesh and blood
But it makes my blood run chilly
Cause I saw him from my window
And he was on the hill
Just screaming at the moonlight

Is it any wonder we hate
To see the sun go down
And is it any wonder we hate to
See the full moon coming around
So Papa said, I guess there's
Only one thing to do bout Billy
Hand me down my gun, son
Bring along that silver dinner bell

But Mama said, Papa
I beg you, don't kill him
Cause I just couldn't bear to
Think about my baby in Hell

But he went down to the blacksmith
Got him out of bed and said
Get your fire hot
Oh, shut up your shutters
And close down the doors
We're gonna need all the heat you got

Cause I want you to melt my
Silver bell down to a single shot
I got a job to do and I got to get it
Done before the sun comes up

Oh, so is it any wonder that we
Hate to see the sun go down

Then we heard a shot
And I said, Papa got em
Then we heard a scream and Mama
Smiled and said, betcha Billy got em
But when I lifted up my eyes, there was
Papa in the doorway staring at the floor
And my big brother Billy never did
Come home no more

Is it any wonder we hate
To see the sun go down
And is it any wonder we hate to
See the full moon coming around