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Stagger Lee
Lloyd Price Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning

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)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Lloyd Price's song "Stagger Lee" tells a story about a confrontation between two men, Stagger Lee and Billy, who were gambling late at night in the dark. Stagger Lee was losing the game and he became angry when Billy claimed to have thrown eight and won his money and his brand new Stetson hat. Stagger Lee pulls out his forty-four and shoots Billy, killing him. Billy pleads with Stagger Lee not to take his life, but it is too late. As a result of the shooting, the bartender's glass was broken.


The lyrics of this song, although simple and straightforward, was a commentary on the gang culture prevalent in America during the 19th and 20th centuries. The characters described in the song are real-life figures, and the story of Stagger Lee is a well-known folk tale that has been recounted in many different forms. The lyrics effectively convey the sense of violence and brutality that were commonly associated with gang culture and highlights the idea of revenge as a driving force.


Line by Line Meaning

The night was clear
The atmosphere was conducive for leisure and fun.


And the moon was yellow
The moon was shining bright with a yellowish color.


And the leaves came tumbling down
The leaves were falling off the trees, signifying the arrival of autumn.


I was standing on the corner
The speaker was on a street corner, observing the events of the night.


When I heard my bulldog bark
The speaker's dog alerted him to the commotion caused by the two men gambling.


He was barkin' at the two men who were gamblin'
The dog was drawing attention to the illegal gambling taking place.


In the dark
The gambling took place where there was little or no light.


It was Stagger Lee and Billy
The two men who were gambling were Stagger Lee and Billy.


Two men who gambled late
The men were gambling at a late hour.


Stagger Lee threw seven
Stagger Lee succeeded at the game and threw a score of seven.


Billy swore that he threw eight
Billy claimed he threw a score of eight, beating Stagger Lee.


Stagger Lee (oh Stagger Lee) told Billy, (oh Stagger Lee)
Stagger Lee spoke to Billy, addressing him by name.


I can't (oh Stagger Lee) let you go with that (oh Stagger Lee)
Stagger Lee was challenged by Billy's victory but could not accept it.


You have won all (oh Stagger Lee) my money and my brand new (oh Stagger Lee)
Billy won all of Stagger Lee's money and a new Stetson hat.


(oh Stagger Lee) Stetson hat (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee)
The hat was a prized possession of Stagger Lee's.


Stagger Lee (oh Stagger Lee) went home (oh Stagger Lee)
Stagger Lee went home, possibly to get his firearm.


And he got his forty-four (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee)
Stagger Lee retrieved his .44 caliber firearm.


Said, I'm goin' to (oh Stagger Lee) the barroom just to pay that (oh Stagger Lee)
Stagger Lee intended to go to the barroom to settle his score with Billy.


Debt I owe (oh Stagger Lee)
Stagger Lee felt that he owed it to himself to settle the gambling score with Billy.


Stagger Lee went to the barroom
Stagger Lee arrived at the barroom where Billy was.


And he stood across the barroom door
Stagger Lee blocked the entrance to the barroom with his firearm.


He said, nobody move and he pulled his
Stagger Lee warned everyone in the barroom not to move while he revealed his firearm.


Forty-four, Ooh
Stagger Lee had a .44 caliber firearm.


Stagger Lee, (oh Stagger Lee) cried Billy (oh Stagger Lee)
Billy was alarmed at the arrival of Stagger Lee.


Oh, please (oh Stagger Lee) don't take my life (oh Stagger Lee)
Billy pleaded with Stagger Lee not to take his life.


I've got three little (oh Stagger Lee) children and a very (oh Stagger Lee)
Billy had dependents who relied on him for survival.


Sickly wife (oh Stagger Lee) (oh Stagger Lee)
Billy's wife was ill and depended on him for care.


Stagger Lee (oh Stagger Lee) shot Billy (oh Stagger Lee)
Stagger Lee shot Billy with his .44 caliber firearm.


Oh, he shot (oh Stagger Lee) that poor boy so bad (oh Stagger Lee)
Stagger Lee shot Billy so badly that he was fatally wounded.


'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)
The bullet went through Billy's body and shattered glass in the barroom.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HAROLD LOGAN, LLOYD PRICE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Sherry Turner

That was my father on the drums. I remember meeting Mr. Price, such a lovely man.

Cliff Roberts

Sherry Turner thats amazing say hi to your father for me

The iron marshmallow G

You’re father is a great drummer

George Edwards

What a superb drummer !!! What other gigs gig he do? The worldneeds to know! He is one of the reasons I loved this music and became a drummer!

Carlos James

Wow, I am so impressed. You have no idea how much I love this song. Brings back wonderful memories

philip norris

Nice one, Sherry.

97 More Replies...

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.

Tru Keesey

Of the "musicians of all time", including Bach, Oedipus, Isaac Watts, the Hebrew choir in ancient Jerusalem, King David, Haendel, Beethoven, Palestrina, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and all of the "musicians of all time", what number should Lloyd Price be rated among them? Number 10? 100? 1,000. One thousand were a very high number, when you consider there have been billions of musicians.

Try counting the number of artists on YouTube who have been called "underrated". Probably about 98 percent. So there isn't much oomph behind that comment. It almost seems like a copy/paste of things you've read on other videographs.

Lil Enigma

@Tru Keesey okay but this guy is definitely underrated lmao

Tru Keesey

@Lil Enigma By whom? He was the top of the charts for months where I lived outside of DC more than once. How is number 1 "underrated"?

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