When he night was clear and the moon was yellow
And the leaves came tumbling down

Well I was standing on the corner when I heard my bulldog bark
He was barkin at the two men who were gamblin' in the dark
It was Stagger Lee and Billy, two men who gambled late
Stagger Lee threw seven and Billy swore that he threw eight

Stagger Lee said Billy, I can't let you go with that
'Cause you have won all my money and my brand new Stetson hat
Stagger Lee, he went home and he got his forty-four
He said "I'm goin' to the barroom just to pay that debt I owe"

I said go, come on go
Yeah go, Stagger Lee
I'm goin' to the barroom just to pay that debt I owe

Stagger Lee went to that barroom and he stood across the barroom door
Said "Nobody move" as he pulled his forty-four

I said go, come on go
I said go, Stagger Lee
Stagger Lee, go go now
Stagger Lee

Stagger Lee said Billy, I can't let you go with that
'Cause you have won all my money and my brand new Stetson hat
Stagger Lee called Billy, whoa please don't take my life
I got three crippled children and a very sickly wife
Stagger Lee, he shot Billy, he shot that poor boy so bad
Till the bullet went through Billy and broke Georgie Fame's glass

I said go, come on go
Stagger Lee, Stagger Lee
I said go, I said go
I said go, I said go
I said go, I said go
Come on, go