Stagger Lee
Molly O'Brien; Tim O'Brien Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was in the town of St. Louis that old Stagger Lee was born
Stagger Lee was a gambler and everybody knew his name
He made his living singing high low jack and a game
It was in the month of December on a cold and rainy night
Stagger Lee and Billy Bly got in an awful fight
I was standing on the corner when I heard my bulldog bark
Chorus:
He was a bad man, talk about a bad man
Such a bad man, mean old Stagger Lee
Stagger Lee and Billy two men who gambled late
Stagger Lee threw seven and Billy swore he threw eight
Stagger Lee told Billy I can't let you go with that
You took all my money and my brand new Stetson hat
Stagger Lee he turned around and headed down the railroad track
Told Billy you better be gone from here by the time that I get back
Stagger Lee he went on home and he loaded his forty-four
Said I'm going to the bar room to pay a debt I owe
Chorus
Stag went down to the bar room and then stood on the bar room floor
And said nobody move and then he drew his blue steel forty-four
Billy cried oh Stag oh Stag oh please don't take my life
I got two little children and a darling lovin' wife
Stag said bless your children said goddamn your wife
You took my magic Stetson now I'm gonna take your life
Stagger Lee shot the bullet killed Billy oh so fast
Went straight through the heart, then it broke that looking glass
Chorus
I never saw a sight before like the one when the smoke did clear
Billy was lying in a pool of whiskey, diamonds, blood, and beer
Stag had a magic Stetson but I guess it lost its power
Cause they took him to the gallows to await his final hour
Chorus
Chorus
In Tim O'Brien's song Stagger Lee, he tells the story of a notorious gambler named Stagger Lee, who lived in St. Louis in 1861. The song opens by describing Stagger Lee's reputation as a skilled gambler and musician. It then takes us to a cold December night where Stagger Lee gets into a fight with another gambler named Billy Bly which ultimately results in Billy's murder. We learn that Stagger Lee killed Billy because of a dispute over money and Stagger Lee's Stetson hat which Billy took from him. Despite Billy's pleas for mercy, Stagger Lee shoots him dead on the bar room floor. The song describes the aftermath of the shooting, including Billy's death and Stagger Lee's eventual capture and execution.
The song paints a dark and violent picture of Stagger Lee, portraying him as a ruthless and dangerous man. The chorus repeats the phrase "He was a bad man, talk about a bad man, such a bad man, mean old Stagger Lee", emphasizing this image of him.
The song is based on a true story that has been retold numerous times in music and literature. The historical Stagger Lee was a real-life pimp and gambler, who lived in St. Louis in the late 19th century. His real name was Lee Shelton, and he was known to be a violent and dangerous man. The story of Stagger Lee's murder of Billy Lyons became popular in African-American folk music and eventually made its way into mainstream culture.
Line by Line Meaning
It was over a hundred years ago in eighteen sixty-one
The story of Stagger Lee takes place a long time ago, in the year 1861
It was in the town of St. Louis that old Stagger Lee was born
Stagger Lee was born and raised in St. Louis
Stagger Lee was a gambler and everybody knew his name
Stagger Lee was a well-known and skilled gambler
He made his living singing high low jack and a game
Gambling was how Stagger Lee earned his livelihood
It was in the month of December on a cold and rainy night
The fight between Stagger Lee and Billy Bly happened in December, on a stormy night
Stagger Lee and Billy Bly got in an awful fight
Stagger Lee and Billy had a terrible altercation
I was standing on the corner when I heard my bulldog bark
The singer witnessed the fight, as he was present at the scene with his dog
Barking at the two men gambling there in the dark
The dog was barking at Stagger Lee and Billy, who were playing a game in the darkness
He was a bad man, talk about a bad man
Stagger Lee was infamous for his reputation as a ruthless and cruel man
Such a bad man, mean old Stagger Lee
Stagger Lee was known for being an extremely unpleasant person
Stagger Lee and Billy two men who gambled late
Stagger Lee and Billy were both late-night gamblers
Stagger Lee threw seven and Billy swore he threw eight
During their game, Stagger Lee threw a seven and Billy claimed he threw an eight
Stagger Lee told Billy I can't let you go with that
Stagger Lee couldn't accept Billy's claim of having a higher roll
You took all my money and my brand new Stetson hat
Stagger Lee accused Billy of stealing his money and his prized Stetson hat
Stagger Lee he turned around and headed down the railroad track
After the altercation, Stagger Lee left the scene and walked along the railroad tracks
Told Billy you better be gone from here by the time that I get back
Before leaving, Stagger Lee warned Billy to leave before he returned
Stagger Lee he went on home and he loaded his forty-four
Upon returning home, Stagger Lee armed himself with his .44 pistol
Said I'm going to the bar room to pay a debt I owe
Stagger Lee went to the bar to settle a debt he had incurred
Stag went down to the bar room and then stood on the bar room floor
Upon arriving at the bar, Stagger Lee got up on the bar itself
And said nobody move and then he drew his blue steel forty-four
Stagger Lee made it clear that nobody should interfere, and then brandished his gun
Billy cried oh Stag oh Stag oh please don't take my life
Billy begged Stagger Lee not to kill him
I got two little children and a darling lovin' wife
Billy pleaded with Stagger Lee not to orphan his family
Stag said bless your children said goddamn your wife
Stagger Lee was unmoved by Billy's plea for mercy and cursed his wife
You took my magic Stetson now I'm gonna take your life
Stagger Lee was seeking revenge for Billy stealing his prized Stetson hat
Stagger Lee shot the bullet killed Billy oh so fast
Stagger Lee quickly shot and killed Billy
Went straight through the heart, then it broke that looking glass
The bullet went through Billy's heart and shattered a mirror behind him
I never saw a sight before like the one when the smoke did clear
After the shooting, the singer was shocked by the scene he witnessed
Billy was lying in a pool of whiskey, diamonds, blood, and beer
Billy's dead body was surrounded by alcohol, gambling chips, blood, and beer
Stag had a magic Stetson but I guess it lost its power
Despite taking revenge for his stolen hat, Stagger Lee's prized Stetson hat had lost its significance
Cause they took him to the gallows to await his final hour
Stagger Lee was arrested and sentenced to death by hanging
He was a bad man, talk about a bad man
Once again, it was reiterated that Stagger Lee was an extremely unpleasant person
Such a bad man, mean old Stagger Lee
Stagger Lee's reputation as a terrible person was emphasized again
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BONNIE OWENS, MERLE HAGGARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind