[bad word] this town since time begun
like a barrel to the head from a loaded gun
he ain’t your friend and he ain’t your foe
but take heed now, don’t [bad word] with joe

takes his hammer, takes a stone
like a moth to a flame he will creep and crawl
to the light in the valley where you call it home
and break down your door when you’re sleeping sound

takes his cleaver, cuts your throat
a cold-hearted killer in a dark black coat
some say he’s the devil, just a bad [bad word] one thing’s for sure you don’t [bad word] with joe

well there once was a [bad word] by the name of clyde
ran a little moonshine on the side
he knew [bad word] well who owned that liquor store
but no one told him who wrote the law

found tied to a sleeper on the railroad track
it was the midnight train that broke his back
ain’t no way to die but then he shoulda had known
that he dug his grave when he [bad word] with joe

sue ray ran a house of ill repute
in the old shack down by the black bayou
had ‘em lined up way round the bend
i think you know how the story ends

joe [bad word] her good with a shot to the head
her brains laid out all over the bed
he had no right to do the things he did
but if you [bad word] with joe you gonna wind up dead

you should’ve never stolen from butcher’s corner store
’cause now you find yourself upon the killing floor
his name’s on the wind, footsteps in the snow
i warned you three times already
i can’t warn you no more

so when he takes his hammer, takes a stone
breaks down your door while you’re sleeping sound
the light of the moon hits his cleaver to show
the red with anger, wild eyes of joe