Stagger Lee (Lloyd Price cover)
original by: Lloyd Price
original by: Lloyd Price
version 3:
from The NOLA Treblemakers: Back To One! (2023 December 06) (2:45)
The night was clear
And the moon was yellow
And the leaves came tumbling down
I'll take chapter everything
"You go ahead and do that, Jackie"
I was standing on the corner when I heard my bulldog bark
He was barkin at them two men they was gamblin in the dark
You know who they was baby? Lemme tell you
"Who was it?"
Stagger Lee and Billy, two men who gambled late
Stagger Lee threw seven, Billy swore that he threw eight
Lemme tell you what happened next y'all
"Oh if you must"
Stagger Lee told Billy "I can't let you go with that
You done took all my money and my brand new Stetson hat"
Here's where it gets good y'all
"Okay let's hear it"
Stagger Lee went home and he got his 44
Said "I'm goin to that barroom just to pay that debt I owe"
Whoo, go Stagger Lee, let's watch that man go, huh
Strut, strut, strut, what, strut
Stagger Lee went to the barroom
And he stood across that barroom door
He said, "Nobody move" and he pulled his 44, oh
"Stagger Lee," cried Billy, "ooh please don't take my life
I got three baby children and a very sickly wife"
Let's wrap this thing up baby
"Let's get out of here"
Stagger Lee shot Billy
Oh, he shot that poor boy so bad
Til the bullet went through Billy and it broke the bartender's glass
Sound a little something like-a ksssh
Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee...
And the moon was yellow
And the leaves came tumbling down
I'll take chapter everything
"You go ahead and do that, Jackie"
I was standing on the corner when I heard my bulldog bark
He was barkin at them two men they was gamblin in the dark
You know who they was baby? Lemme tell you
"Who was it?"
Stagger Lee and Billy, two men who gambled late
Stagger Lee threw seven, Billy swore that he threw eight
Lemme tell you what happened next y'all
"Oh if you must"
Stagger Lee told Billy "I can't let you go with that
You done took all my money and my brand new Stetson hat"
Here's where it gets good y'all
"Okay let's hear it"
Stagger Lee went home and he got his 44
Said "I'm goin to that barroom just to pay that debt I owe"
Whoo, go Stagger Lee, let's watch that man go, huh
Strut, strut, strut, what, strut
Stagger Lee went to the barroom
And he stood across that barroom door
He said, "Nobody move" and he pulled his 44, oh
"Stagger Lee," cried Billy, "ooh please don't take my life
I got three baby children and a very sickly wife"
Let's wrap this thing up baby
"Let's get out of here"
Stagger Lee shot Billy
Oh, he shot that poor boy so bad
Til the bullet went through Billy and it broke the bartender's glass
Sound a little something like-a ksssh
Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee...
version 2:
from The Monochromes: 31 Tunes (2018 October 25) (2:31)
The night was clear
And the moon was yellow
And the leaves came tumbling down
I was standing on the corner when I heard my bulldog bark
He was barkin at them two men they was gamblin in the dark
You wanna know who? Well lemme tell you
Stagger Lee and Billy, two men who gambled late
Stagger Lee threw seven, Billy swore that he threw eight
Stagger Lee told Billy "I can't let you go with that
See you took all my money and my brand new Stetson hat"
Oh here's where it gets good
Stagger Lee went home and he got his 44
Said "I'm goin to that barroom just to pay that debt I owe"
Whoo, go Stagger Lee, watch him go
Stagger Lee went to the barroom
And he stood across that barroom door
Said, "Nobody move" and he pulled his 44
"Stagger Lee," cried Billy, "ooh please don't take my life
I got three baby children and a very sickly wife"
Let's finish this tale out baby
Stagger Lee shot Billy
Oh, he shot that poor boy so bad
Til the bullet went through Billy and it broke the bartender's glass
Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee...
And the moon was yellow
And the leaves came tumbling down
I was standing on the corner when I heard my bulldog bark
He was barkin at them two men they was gamblin in the dark
You wanna know who? Well lemme tell you
Stagger Lee and Billy, two men who gambled late
Stagger Lee threw seven, Billy swore that he threw eight
Stagger Lee told Billy "I can't let you go with that
See you took all my money and my brand new Stetson hat"
Oh here's where it gets good
Stagger Lee went home and he got his 44
Said "I'm goin to that barroom just to pay that debt I owe"
Whoo, go Stagger Lee, watch him go
Stagger Lee went to the barroom
And he stood across that barroom door
Said, "Nobody move" and he pulled his 44
"Stagger Lee," cried Billy, "ooh please don't take my life
I got three baby children and a very sickly wife"
Let's finish this tale out baby
Stagger Lee shot Billy
Oh, he shot that poor boy so bad
Til the bullet went through Billy and it broke the bartender's glass
Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee...
version 1:
from The NOLA Treblemakers: Always Lookin' For More Treble! (2018 March 25) (2:32)
The night was clear
And the moon was yellow
And the leaves came tumbling down
Take chapter one. "Okay"
I was standing on the corner when I heard my bulldog bark
He was barkin at them two men that was gamblin in the dark
Who was they Jackie?
Well lemme tell you
Stagger Lee and Billy, two men who gambled late
Stagger Lee threw seven, Billy swore that he threw eight
What happened next Teddy?
Stagger Lee told Billy "I can't let you go with that
See you took all my money and my brand new Stetson hat"
What happened next Jackie?
Oh here's where it gets good
Stagger Lee went home and he got his 44
Said "I'm goin to that barroom just to pay that debt I owe"
Whoo, go Stagger Lee, watch him go
Stagger Lee to the barroom
And he stood across the barroom door
Said, "Nobody move" and he drew his 44
What happened next Jackie?
Here we go
"Stagger Lee," cried Billy, "ooh please don't take my life
I got three baby children and a very sickly wife"
Let's finish this tale out baby
Stagger Lee shot Billy
Oh, he shot that poor boy so bad
Til the bullet went through Billy and it broke the bartender's glass
Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee...
And the moon was yellow
And the leaves came tumbling down
Take chapter one. "Okay"
I was standing on the corner when I heard my bulldog bark
He was barkin at them two men that was gamblin in the dark
Who was they Jackie?
Well lemme tell you
Stagger Lee and Billy, two men who gambled late
Stagger Lee threw seven, Billy swore that he threw eight
What happened next Teddy?
Stagger Lee told Billy "I can't let you go with that
See you took all my money and my brand new Stetson hat"
What happened next Jackie?
Oh here's where it gets good
Stagger Lee went home and he got his 44
Said "I'm goin to that barroom just to pay that debt I owe"
Whoo, go Stagger Lee, watch him go
Stagger Lee to the barroom
And he stood across the barroom door
Said, "Nobody move" and he drew his 44
What happened next Jackie?
Here we go
"Stagger Lee," cried Billy, "ooh please don't take my life
I got three baby children and a very sickly wife"
Let's finish this tale out baby
Stagger Lee shot Billy
Oh, he shot that poor boy so bad
Til the bullet went through Billy and it broke the bartender's glass
Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee...
earliest live performance: 2011 January 21