Popular entertainment in St. Louis thrived in the 1950s and 60s around Gaslight Square, a nightclub district that attracted nationally known musicians and performers. But it fell into decline by the 1970s, and this area is now the site of a new housing development. However, St. Louis is home to many musical artists today, including Living Things, Sheryl Crow, Barbara Carr, Gravity Kills, Story of the Year, Modern Day Zero, Stir, Strawfoot, Cavo, Greenwheel, Ludo, 7 Shot Screamers, MU330 and The Urge. In the 1990s, the metro area produced prominent alt-country bands Uncle Tupelo — a Belleville, Illinois trio often considered the originators of the style, whose members went on to found Wilco and Son Volt — and The Bottle Rockets.
St. Louis rap and hip-hop artists include Nelly, The Saint Lunatics, Ali, Murphy Lee, Chingy, Huey, J-Kwon, Jibbs, and FLAME. Aliaune Badara Akon Thiam (Akon) is a Senegalese-American R&B singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, businessman, and philanthropist also from St. Louis.
St. Louis is also the home of the world-renowned Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra which was founded in 1880 — the second oldest orchestra in the nation — and which has over the years been honored with six Grammy Awards and fifty-six nominations. Historic Powell Symphony Hall on North Grand Boulevard has been the permanent home of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra since 1968. The Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is an annual summer festival of opera performed in English, originally co-founded by Richard Gaddes in 1976. Union Avenue Opera Theatre, formed in the early 1990s, is a smaller but thriving company that performs opera in the original languages. Other classical music groups of note include the Rosewood Ensemble, the Arianna String Quartet, and the quartet-in-residence at the University of Missouri-Saint Louis, as well as the Laclede String Quartet and the Saint Louis Chamber Chorus.
Stack-A-Lee
Dr. John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He shot that boy so fast
The bullet went through Billy
it broke the bartender's glass
Stack-a-Lee went around the corner
Where they shot Stack in his side
Stack-a-Lee went stumbling
In his mother door
He said mother, oh mother
Won't you turn me, over slow
I've been jabbed in my left side
With a police 44
When all the ladies, heard that Stack
Oh Stack-a-Lee was dead
Some come dressed in orange colors
Some came dressed in red
Oh play it for him now
Stack-a Lee went to the devil
To identify poor Billy's soul
But the poor boy he was absent
He had gone down to Shango
Now the devil heard a rumbling
A mighty rumbling, under the ground
He said that must be Mr. Stack pointing Billy
Upsidedown
Now it seems that old devil
On top of his Devil chair
He said if you want Mr. Stack boy
Get him by yourself
Now I told you all my little story
And sang you all my little song
But Stack-a-Lee and Billy Lyons
They both dead and gone
The song “Stack-A-Lee” by Dr. John, also known as “Stagger Lee,” is a historical tale of a murder that took place on Christmas night in St. Louis in 1895. The singer, Stack-a-Lee (also known as Stagger Lee), shoots Billy Lyons so quickly that the bullet goes through Billy and breaks the bartender's glass. Stack-a-Lee then goes around the corner, where he is shot in the side by either Billy’s friend or a police officer. As Stack-a-Lee stumbles into his mother's door, he pleads with her to turn him over slowly because he has been shot with a police 44.
Despite being mortally wounded, Stack-a-Lee manages to make it to the devil and asks him to identify Billy Lyons’ soul. However, Billy is not there, as he had gone down to Shango. Not willing to help, the devil tells Stack-a-Lee to get Billy himself. The song ends with the singer telling us that both Stack-a-Lee and Billy Lyons are dead and gone, making this a cautionary tale of the consequences of violence and crime.
Line by Line Meaning
Stack-a-Lee shot Billy Lyons
The character of Stack-a-Lee shot and killed Billy Lyons.
He shot that boy so fast
Stack-a-Lee killed Billy Lyons quickly, without any hesitation or remorse.
The bullet went through Billy
The bullet that Stack-a-Lee fired went through Billy Lyons' body.
it broke the bartender's glass
The bullet that passed through Billy Lyons also shattered the glass belonging to the bartender.
Stack-a-Lee went around the corner
After shooting Billy Lyons, Stack-a-Lee fled the scene by turning the corner and escaping from the area.
Where they shot Stack in his side
Stack-a-Lee was shot in his side by someone else.
Stack-a-Lee went stumbling
Stack-a-Lee was wounded and stumbled as he made his way home.
In his mother door
Stack-a-Lee made his way into his mother's house, seeking help for his injuries.
He said mother, oh mother
Stack-a-Lee called out to his mother for assistance when he arrived home injured.
Won't you turn me, over slow
Stack-a-Lee requested that his mother turn him over slowly, indicating that his injuries were serious and required careful attention.
I've been jabbed in my left side
Stack-a-Lee informed his mother that he had been injured in his left side.
With a police 44
Stack-a-Lee revealed that he had been shot with a police-issued .44 caliber weapon.
When all the ladies, heard that Stack
When news of Stack-a-Lee's death spread, women in the community who knew him expressed their grief.
Oh Stack-a-Lee was dead
Stack-a-Lee had passed away as a result of the injuries he sustained from being shot.
Some come dressed in orange colors
Some women in the community associated with Stack-a-Lee arrived at his funeral wearing orange clothing as a sign of their mourning.
Some came dressed in red
Other women who knew Stack-a-Lee appeared at his funeral dressed in red clothing to show their sorrow.
Stack-a Lee went to the devil
In this part of the song, Stack-a-Lee is depicted as having gone to hell or the afterlife after dying.
To identify poor Billy's soul
While in the afterlife or hell, Stack-a-Lee attempts to find Billy Lyons' soul.
But the poor boy he was absent
Billy Lyons' soul was not present where Stack-a-Lee was looking or expecting to find it.
He had gone down to Shango
Billy Lyons' soul had, instead, gone down to the land of the dead, known as Shango.
Now the devil heard a rumbling
While Stack-a-Lee is in hell, the devil hears a strange noise.
A mighty rumbling, under the ground
The sound heard by the devil is a strong and powerful rumbling originating from beneath the earth's surface.
He said that must be Mr. Stack pointing Billy
The devil assumes that the noise is being made by Stack-a-Lee, who is directing Billy Lyons' soul where to go in the afterlife.
Upsidedown
The direction in which Stack-a-Lee is supposedly pointing Billy's soul is upside down, indicating some degree of chaos or disorderliness.
Now it seems that old devil
At this point in the song, the focus shifts to the devil himself and what he has to say.
On top of his Devil chair
The devil is portrayed as seated atop a throne-like chair or object befitting his status as ruler of the underworld.
He said if you want Mr. Stack boy
The devil speaks directly to a hypothetical entity wishing to locate Stack-a-Lee.
Get him by yourself
The devil informs the entity that it is up to them to locate Stack-a-Lee on their own, rather than receiving further aid from the devil.
Now I told you all my little story
Dr. John concludes the song by acknowledging that he has finished telling the story of Stack-a-Lee and Billy Lyons.
And sang you all my little song
Dr. John emphasizes that he has recounted the events of this story through the medium of song.
But Stack-a-Lee and Billy Lyons
The two titular figures in the narrative are gone, and their tale has been brought to a close by the end of the song.
They both dead and gone
Stack-a-Lee and Billy Lyons have both passed away and are no longer alive.
Contributed by Aaron W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Steve
on Holdin' Pattern
Looking for the Lyrics "Holdin' Pattern" by Dr. John.
Perry
on I Been Hoodood (LP Version)
Not The Correct Lyrics Listed