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
And he was barkin' up at two men
Who were gamblin' in the dark

It was 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 get away with that"
"Well you have won all my money
And my brand new Stetson hat"
Stagger Lee he ran home
Went and he got his forty-four
Said "I'm goin' to the barroom
Just to pay that debt I owe"

Go Stagger Lee
Go Stagger Lee
Go Stagger Lee
Go Stagger Lee
Said "I'm goin' to the barroom
Just to pay that debt I owe"
Stagger Lee went to the barroom
He stood across the barroom door
He said "Now nobody move"
And he pulled his forty-four
"Stagger Lee" cried Billy
"Oh please don't you take my life."
"I got me three little children
And a very sickly wife."

Go Stagger Lee
Go Stagger Lee
Go Stagger Lee
Go Stagger Lee
"I got me three little children
And a very sickly wife"

Stagger Lee shot Billy
Oh he shot that poor boy so bad
Till the bullet came through Billy
And went right through
The bartender's glass
While I was standing on the corner
When I heard my bulldog bark
And he was barkin' up at two men
Who were gamblin' in the dark
Go Baby
Go Stagger Lee
Go Stagger Lee
Go Stagger Lee
Go Stagger Lee
And he was barkin' up at two men
Who were gamblin' in the dark

Go Stagger Lee
Go Stagger Lee
Go Stagger Lee
Go Stagger Lee
Said "I'm goin' to the barroom
Just to pay that debt I owe"