Here's how I play it, in C.

Big Bad Bill From Louisville Performed by Merle Haggard

In the [C]town of [A7]Louisville,
They [D]got a man they call Big Bad Bill.
I [G]want to tell you, he sure was [C]tough,
And he [C]sure did strut his [G7]stuff.
He had [C]folks all scared to [A7]death,
When [D]they walked by, they held their breath.
He was a [D7]mighty man, sure e-[G7]nough.

Now [G7]Bill took himself a wife
Now [D]he's a different [G7]guy
Big Bad [C]Bill is [G7]Sweet William, [C]now.
[C]Married life has changed him, some-[C7]how.
Well, [F]he's the man they all [F7]used to fear,
Now the [C]people call him "Sweet Poppa, Willie [A7]Dear"
[D]Stronger than Samson, I declare,
Until a [G]brown-skinned mama [G7]bobbed his hair.

Big Bad [C]Bill don't [G7]fight any-[C]more, [C7]
[F]Washes dishes, and he mops up the [E7]floor,
Used to [F]spend his evenings, [F7]looking for a fight,
But [C]now he's got to see his mama [A7]every night.
Big Bad [C]Bill is Sweet [G7]William [C]now.

INSTRUMENTAL BREAK

Used to [F]spend his evenings, [F7]looking for a fight,
But [C]now he's got to see his mama [A7]every night.
Big Bad [C]Bill is Sweet [G7]William [C]now.
^^