Lloyd Price (born 9 March 1933 in Kenner, Louisiana) was a soul music star and early rock and roll pioneer who had a big hit with “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”, a track he wrote (featuring Fats Domino on piano) that topped the R&B charts for seven weeks in 1952. Staying with Specialty Records, Price then released "Oooh, Oooh, Oooh", "Restless Heart", "Tell Me Pretty Baby" and "Ain't It a Shame". He was then drafted and ended up in Korea from 1953-1956. Read Full BioLloyd Price (born 9 March 1933 in Kenner, Louisiana) was a soul music star and early rock and roll pioneer who had a big hit with “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”, a track he wrote (featuring Fats Domino on piano) that topped the R&B charts for seven weeks in 1952. Staying with Specialty Records, Price then released "Oooh, Oooh, Oooh", "Restless Heart", "Tell Me Pretty Baby" and "Ain't It a Shame". He was then drafted and ended up in Korea from 1953-1956.
After returning from the military, Price became more financially savvy than many of his fellow early Rock n Roll and gritty R&B artists. In 1957, he decided to launch his own label KRC (Kent Record Company) and retain control of his masters, leasing his tracks to labels like Atlantic and later ABC-Paramount in an arrangement that likely inspired Ray Charles to do the same.
His first single after returning from Korea was "Just Because". That was followed by a massive hit, "Stagger Lee", which has appeared in many multi-artist collection albums and served as one of Price's best known songs. Television host Dick Clark insisted the violent content of the track, which lyrically describes a shooting based on a gambling fight, be toned down when Price appeared on the popular but highly sanitized show American Bandstand.
Price’s biggest year was likely 1959, during which he had four hit records: “Personality,” “Where Were You (On Our Wedding Day),” “I’m Gonna Get Married” and “Come Into My Heart.” His increasing entrepreneurial efforts soon included new record labels and starting the Turntable nightclub in New York City. Price's Double L Records, started with partner Harold Logan discovered Wilson Pickett, who got his career started on their label. Price's biggest hit for Double-l was a 1963 revival of the old standard "Misty", but his remaining efforts at hitmaking drew little national attention. He signed briefly to Monument in 1964 and then Reprise, and later to JAD and to his own Turntable imprint to no avail. By 1971, he was recording in Muscle Shoals his own cover version of BJ Thomas hit "Hooked On A Feeling" for Scepter but the arrangement failed to catch fire.
In 1974 Price was a partner of boxing promoter Don King who staged the famous music festival in Zaire featuring James Brown, B.B. King, Etta James, Bill Withers, The Spinners, and the Fania All Stars as documented in Spike Lee's film about the Ali vs Foreman fight "When We Were Kings"
Price continued touring with a 9 piece group in the 1970's, issuing some singles on the GFS label, but seemingly retired for awhile. He then returned to performing and touring in 1993, when Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and Gary U.S. Bonds accompanied him on a European tour. He was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of fame in 1998, and can still occasionally be seen on PBS performing during oldies revue concerts, or during fundraising breaks such as during a recent Sam Cooke documentary special, and remains surprisingly youthful despite well over 50 years in the music business.
After returning from the military, Price became more financially savvy than many of his fellow early Rock n Roll and gritty R&B artists. In 1957, he decided to launch his own label KRC (Kent Record Company) and retain control of his masters, leasing his tracks to labels like Atlantic and later ABC-Paramount in an arrangement that likely inspired Ray Charles to do the same.
His first single after returning from Korea was "Just Because". That was followed by a massive hit, "Stagger Lee", which has appeared in many multi-artist collection albums and served as one of Price's best known songs. Television host Dick Clark insisted the violent content of the track, which lyrically describes a shooting based on a gambling fight, be toned down when Price appeared on the popular but highly sanitized show American Bandstand.
Price’s biggest year was likely 1959, during which he had four hit records: “Personality,” “Where Were You (On Our Wedding Day),” “I’m Gonna Get Married” and “Come Into My Heart.” His increasing entrepreneurial efforts soon included new record labels and starting the Turntable nightclub in New York City. Price's Double L Records, started with partner Harold Logan discovered Wilson Pickett, who got his career started on their label. Price's biggest hit for Double-l was a 1963 revival of the old standard "Misty", but his remaining efforts at hitmaking drew little national attention. He signed briefly to Monument in 1964 and then Reprise, and later to JAD and to his own Turntable imprint to no avail. By 1971, he was recording in Muscle Shoals his own cover version of BJ Thomas hit "Hooked On A Feeling" for Scepter but the arrangement failed to catch fire.
In 1974 Price was a partner of boxing promoter Don King who staged the famous music festival in Zaire featuring James Brown, B.B. King, Etta James, Bill Withers, The Spinners, and the Fania All Stars as documented in Spike Lee's film about the Ali vs Foreman fight "When We Were Kings"
Price continued touring with a 9 piece group in the 1970's, issuing some singles on the GFS label, but seemingly retired for awhile. He then returned to performing and touring in 1993, when Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and Gary U.S. Bonds accompanied him on a European tour. He was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of fame in 1998, and can still occasionally be seen on PBS performing during oldies revue concerts, or during fundraising breaks such as during a recent Sam Cooke documentary special, and remains surprisingly youthful despite well over 50 years in the music business.
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Stagger Lee
Lloyd Price Lyrics
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 the 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 (oh Stagger Lee) told Billy, (oh Stagger Lee)
I can't (oh Stagger Lee) let you go with that (oh Stagger Lee)
You have won all (oh Stagger Lee) my money and my brand new (oh Stagger Lee)
(oh Stagger Lee) Stetson hat (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee)
Stagger Lee (oh Stagger Lee) went home (oh Stagger Lee)
And he got his forty-four (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee)
Said, I'm goin' to (oh Stagger Lee) the barroom just to pay that (oh Stagger Lee)
Debt I owe (oh Stagger Lee)
Stagger Lee went to the barroom
And he stood across the barroom door
He said, nobody move and he pulled his
Forty-four, Ooh
Stagger Lee, (oh Stagger Lee) cried Billy (oh Stagger Lee)
Oh, please (oh Stagger Lee) don't take my life (oh Stagger Lee)
I've got three little (oh Stagger Lee) children and a very (oh Stagger Lee)
Sickly wife (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee)
Stagger Lee (oh Stagger Lee) shot Billy (oh Stagger Lee)
Oh, he shot (oh Stagger Lee) that poor boy so bad (oh Stagger Lee)
'Till the bullet (oh Stagger Lee) came through Billy (oh Stagger Lee)and it broke the bar (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee)
Tender's glass (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee)
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: HAROLD LOGAN, LLOYD PRICE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
AJ Muzik
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 the 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 go with that
You have won all my money and my brand new
Stetson hat
Stagger Lee went home
And he got his forty-four
Said, I'm goin' to the barroom just to pay that
Debt I owe
Stagger Lee went to the barroom
And he stood across the barroom door
He said, nobody move and he pulled his
Forty-four
Stagger Lee, cried Billy
Oh, please don't take my life
I've got 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 it broke the bar
Tender's glass
Sherry Turner
That was my father on the drums. I remember meeting Mr. Price, such a lovely man.
Anthony Payne
Love that!
Micheal Dunn
That's awesome, come from a family of 10 boys, bluegrass band, hillbilly lol, Smokey Dunn and Foggy river boys aka Smokey Dunn and the hillbillys...nothing greater than those memories. Smokey born 1928, master of the fiddle and all instruments. Much love
happinessisalone
Awesome! So freaking cool! 😎
Tobias Henricsson
Hi Sherry! Your father was a great drummer! Sorry to hear he's passed. I'm a drummer myself, but not nearly as good as your father. Actually, I'm googling him at the moment to find out more. 😊 Was he like a session drummer, like Hal Blaine from The Wrecking Crew? Only a guess, coming from the different artists he seems to have been playing with.
Claudine Tillman
TOP Of THE MORNING TO YOU Right back ATYA ☑️ MATE. I think that I had commented on your post. But Everytime I request this song, I have to comment about how much I 😍 it 🤗 I grew up with this Priceless unforgettable magnificent Song 😅WORD👍 Again Congrats to you about your Father. He's was a Incalulable Fantastic magnificent Superb Unique Incalulable Drummer 👋 Any way this song was our national Anthem Theme Song At the Roller Skate Ranks. WOW 😀 That's been many many Moons ago 🤗 Any way thanks for letting me share my thoughts with you again. Girl can't HELP IT💃🤗 Have a bless day or night 🙏 JAH LIVES ONE 💓 U are a shinning 💥🤩 Too 🎧🎤📻🔊🎉 🙋
The Rebel Dottie
One of the most underrated musicians of all time, he left his stamp on history and died a great man. Rest in peace, old friend.
Mariano Wallace
My father is credited as the Sax Soloist on this track " Allen Red Wallace" w/ The Don Costa Orchestra, miss you Pops!
Larry Johnson
That is so cool😎
Dwight Love
@Mariano Wallace Your father made this song very memorable