In 1986, he was among the first batch to get inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. "Ain't That A Shame" and "Blueberry Hill" were named part of The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll. In 2004, "Blueberry Hill" was named #81 and "Ain't That A Shame" was named #431 on Rolling Stone's Top 500 Songs Of All Time. In 2004, he was named #25 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time.
In the wake of Domino's rescue from his 9th ward home during 2005's Hurricane Katrina, the Tipitina's Foundation organized a tribute album to the elder artist featuring Robert Plant, Norah Jones, Paul McCartney and numerous other acts that owe a creative debt to this seminal rock n roll pianist.
Stagger Lee
Fats Domino Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I heard my bull dog 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 a seven
And Billy swore that he threw eight
I can't let you go with that
You have won all my money
And my brand-new Stetson hat
So Stagger Lee went home
And he got his fouty-four
Said I'm goin' to the barroom
Just to pay that debt I owe
Stagger Lee went to the bar
And he opened up the barroom door
Said Nobody move now
I've got my forty-four
Stagger Lee shot Billy
He shot that poor boy so bad
That a bullet went through Billy
And broke the bartender's glass
Go, Stagger Lee
Go, Stagger Lee
Go, Stagger Lee
Please don't shot poor me
Fats Domino's song Stagger Lee is a timeless classic that tells the story of a confrontation between two gamblers, Stagger Lee and Billy. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the events that unfolded on that fateful night where Stagger Lee lost all his money and his brand-new Stetson hat to Billy after gambling late into the night. Stagger Lee was angry at having lost all his money, and Billy's claim that he had thrown an eight instead of a seven only added fuel to the fire. Stagger Lee's pride wounded, he was not going to let Billy get away with winning his money and his hat, so he left to get his forty-four.
When Stagger Lee returned to the bar, he opened the door and announced to everyone inside that nobody should move because he had his forty-four. Stagger Lee then shot Billy, and the bullet went through him, breaking the bartender's glass. The scene is set, the characters vividly portrayed, and the tone is somber and melancholic. The lyrics powerfully convey the sense of anger, revenge, and tension that existed between the two gamblers, leading to the tragic outcome of one losing his life.
In conclusion, Fats Domino's Stagger Lee is a chilling tale that captures the darkness of a fatal encounter that was fueled by jealousy, pride, and greed. The lyrics offer a cautionary tale that reminds us of the destructive consequences of letting our emotions get the better of us.
Line by Line Meaning
I was standin' on the corner
The singer was standing at a street intersection
When I heard my bull dog bark
The singer's dog barked to grab their attention
He was barkin' at the two men
The dog was barking at two men nearby
Who were gamblin' in the dark
The two men were gambling in darkness
It was Stagger Lee and Billy
The two men's names were Stagger Lee and Billy
Two men who gambled late
The two men gambled till late at night
Stagger lee threw a seven
Stagger Lee won by rolling a seven on the dice
And Billy swore that he threw eight
Billy falsely claimed that he had rolled an eight
Stagger Lee, told Billy
Stagger Lee told Billy what was on his mind
I can't let you go with that
Stagger Lee didn't want Billy to leave with his winnings
You have won all my money
Billy had won all the money that Stagger Lee possessed
And my brand-new Stetson hat
Billy had also won Stagger Lee's new Stetson hat
So Stagger Lee went home
Stagger Lee left for his home
And he got his fouty-four
He grabbed his .44 caliber pistol
Said I'm goin' to the barroom
He announced his intention to go to the barroom
Just to pay that debt I owe
Stagger Lee wanted to clear his debt with Billy
Stagger Lee went to the bar
Stagger Lee arrived at the bar
And he opened up the barroom door
He forcefully opened the barroom door
Said Nobody move now
Stagger Lee commanded the people to stay put
I've got my forty-four
Stagger Lee made sure to let everyone know he had his gun
Stagger Lee shot Billy
Stagger Lee fired a shot at Billy
He shot that poor boy so bad
The gunshot wounded Billy very badly
That a bullet went through Billy
The bullet punctured Billy's body and exited it
And broke the bartender's glass
The bullet shattered the glass behind the bar
Go, Stagger Lee
This line serves as a cheer for Stagger Lee's actions
Please don't shot poor me
This line serves as a plea to Stagger Lee not to shoot the person speaking
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jerome J. Garcia, Robert C. Hunter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
arizona doowopper
The Fat Man keeps the New Orleans sound rolling on. No doubt he is one of the greatest of the RnR era.
Anissa Abbas
Grand talent. C'était notre jeunesse. Le temps du rock and roll. Adieu Mister Fats irremplaçable.
Trish Jason
Absolutely love this song.
Robert Landry
Listening to this stuff is an excellent trip down memory lane.
Love it love it.
It makes for an excellent party in the kitchen.
Andrea Ronkin
So you too eh? Dancing in the kitchen :)
Cleon Magabeefy
Thank you!!! I love this song and I love Fats!!!
Matthew Child
Wow! Great version! Thank you for sharing.
Ready Teddy
Excellent. Surprising, clever arrangement. Witty.
Cookie Ceo
Thanks this is great. May he RIP Fats you will be missed./ Love you.
bluenote824 jones
Love it