[Verse 1]
1948, Christmas Eve, with a full moon over town
Stagger Lee met Billy DeLions
And he blew that poor boy down
Do you know what he shot him for?
What do you make of that?
Billy DeLions threw the lucky dice
Won Stagger Lee's Stetson hat
Bayo, Bayo, tell me how can this be?
You arrest the girls for turning tricks
But you're scared of Stagger Lee
Stagger Lee's a bad man and he shot my Billy D
Bayo, go get him or give the job to me

[Verse 2]
Delia DeLions, oh, sweet Delia D
How the hell could I arrest him? He's twice as big as me
Don't ask me to go downtown, I won't come back alive
Not only is that mother big, hе packs a .45
Bayo, Delia said, just give me your gun
Hе shot my Billy dead, and I'm gonna see him hung
She went into the DeLions' club through Billy DeLions blood
Stepped up to Stagger Lee at the bar
Said, "Buy me a gin fizz, love"

[Instrumental break]
[Verse 3]
Stagger Lee lit a cigarette, she shot him in the balls
Pulled on her revolver, had him dragged to city hall
Bayo, Bayo, see you hang him high
He shot my Billy dead, now he's got to die
Delia went walking down on Singapore Street
A three-piece band on the corner played "Near My God to Thee"
Delia whistled a different tune, what tune could that be?
The song that woman sung was "Look Out Stagger Lee"
The song that woman sung, "Look Out Stagger Lee"

[Instrumental break]

[Outro]
The song that woman sung, "Look Out Stagger Lee"