The original core of the band included Langley's brother John on drums, Nick Jacobs on guitar, and multi-instrumentalist Dave Chapman. However, personnel other than Langley has varied, and (on both records and in performances) they have always been augmented by a large cast of semi-regular sidemen. (By the time of their 1991 album, Beatsongs, the Aeroplanes' lineup included guitarist Angelo Bruschini, guitarist Rodney Allen, bassist Andy McCreeth, drummer Paul Mulreany, and guitarist/keyboard player Alex Lee, with another eight musicians listed in the credits.) The group released Bop Art on the Abstract Records label in April 1984, then signed to Fire Records, for which they recorded their second album, Tolerance (October 1986), and their third, Spitting Out Miracles (1987), plus several EPs. Spitting Out Miracles was their first U.S. release, followed by the compilation album Friendloverplane (1988), a double LP on Fire in the U.K. that was reduced to a single LP on Restless in the U.S. The Blue Aeroplanes then signed to the Ensign division of Chrysalis Records and charted in the U.K. with two 1989 singles, "Jacket Hangs" and "...And Stones," as well as their 1990 and 1991 albums, Swagger and Beatsongs.
Stagger Lee
The Blue Aeroplanes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He toted a stack-barrelled blow gun and a blue steel 44
It was early one morning when I heard my little dog bark
Stagger Lee and Billy Lyon was arguing in the dark
Stagger Lee and Billy Lyon was gambling one night late
Stagger Lee fell seven, Billy Lyon he fell eight
And slowly Stack walked from the table, said "I can't let you go with that
You win all of my money and my milk-white Stetson hat"
Stagger Lee, he went walking right down that I.C. track
"I ain't gonna hurt you now, Billy, better not be here when I get back"
The next day Stack went running in the red-hot broiling sun
"Look in my chiffro drawer, Alberta, hand me my smokeless 41"
And Alberta looked at Stack, said "Babe, you're out of breath
You look like you're gonna be the cause of somebody's death"
And Stack took out his Elgin, looked directly at the time
And said "I've got an argument to settle with that bad man Billy Lyon"
"Kiss me, good woman, you may not see me when I come back"
And Stack went running up that Great Northern track
Well, when he got outside in front of the barroom and he eased up to the door
Billy Lyon had his 44 special, pacing up and down the floor
Billy Lyon began to scream, "Stack, don't take my life
I've got five little helpless children and one poor, pitiful wife"
He shot him three times in the forehead, two times in the side
Said "I'm going to keep on shooting till Billy Lyon's died"
Billy Lyon got glassy, and he gapped and hung his head
Stack say "I know by the expression on his face that Billy Lyon's dead"
Mrs. Billy, she went running and screaming, "Stack, I don't believe it's so
You and my little Billy's been friends since many long years ago"
Stagger Lee told Mrs. Billy, "If you don't believe your man is dead
Come to the barroom and see the hole I shot in his head"
Now, Mrs. Lyon she fell to her knees and she said to her oldest son
"When you get a little bit bigger, I'm gonna buy you a 41"
Now, Chief Maloney told his deputies, "Get your rifles, come with me
We're gonna arrest that bad man Stagger Lee"
So his deputies took their shiny badges, laid them on the shelf
Said "If you wanna go get him, get him your own damn self"
Slowly Chief Maloney, he walked to the barroom door
Stagger Lee was drunk, laying on the barroom floor
Chief Maloney said to the bartender "Who can that drunk man be?"
"Speak softly" said the bartender "that's the bad man, Stagger Lee"
So he touched Stack on the shoulder, said "Stack, why don't you run?
He says "I don't run when I've got my 41"
He tried to get up, staggered, pulled his pistol but could not get it out
The Chief pulled his pistol, shot the poor boy in the mouth
Stagger Lee went running, straggling down Dumaine Street
Don't you know, the blood was running from his head down to his feet
The judge, he found Stack guilty, the clerk wrote it down
And the next cold winter morning Stack was Angola bound
It was early one morning, one bright summer's day
The Chief received a wireless - Stack had run away
So he got his men and he put them 'round the town
"Next time you see Stagger Lee, shoot him down"
Now, the hangman, he put the mask on, tied his hands behind his back
Sprung the trap on Stagger Lee but his neck refused to crack
The hangman, he got frightened, he said "Chief, you see how it be?
I can't hang this man, you'd better let him go free"
"Stagger Lee" is a traditional folk song that has been covered by many artists, including The Blue Aeroplanes. The lyrics tell the story of a bad man named Stagger Lee who carried a blow gun and a .44 revolver. Stagger Lee and Billy Lyon argued one night while gambling, and it resulted in Stagger Lee shooting Billy. Despite knowing that Billy had a family to care for, Stagger Lee continued to shoot him until he died. When the authorities attempted to arrest him, Stagger Lee was killed in an attempt to resist arrest. The hangman was unable to hang him, and Stagger Lee was set free.
The narrative is a tale of lawlessness and the consequences of violent actions. The song's lyrics were originally printed as a broadside in the United States in the late 1800s, and it has since become a popular folk song. The story has been reworked many times over the years, with various singers adding their own twists or taking liberties with the original story.
Line by Line Meaning
Stagger Lee was a bad man and everybody know
Stagger Lee had a notorious reputation
He toted a stack-barrelled blow gun and a blue steel 44
He carried a powerful firearm
It was early one morning when I heard my little dog bark
The events about to unfold occurred in the middle of the night
Stagger Lee and Billy Lyon was arguing in the dark
Stagger Lee and Billy Lyon were involved in a heated dispute
Stagger Lee and Billy Lyon was gambling one night late
Stagger Lee and Billy Lyon were playing a game of chance late at night
Stagger Lee fell seven, Billy Lyon he fell eight
Stagger Lee lost the game, while Billy Lyon won
And slowly Stack walked from the table, said "I can't let you go with that
You win all of my money and my milk-white Stetson hat"
Stack didn't want to part with his possessions and challenged Stagger Lee's win
Stagger Lee, he went walking right down that I.C. track
"I ain't gonna hurt you now, Billy, better not be here when I get back"
Stagger Lee warned Billy to leave before he returned
And Alberta looked at Stack, said "Babe, you're out of breath
You look like you're gonna be the cause of somebody's death"
Alberta sensed that Stack was going to do something dangerous
"Kiss me, good woman, you may not see me when I come back"
And Stack went running up that Great Northern track
Stack had a premonition that he might not return and bid his woman farewell
Billy Lyon had his 44 special, pacing up and down the floor
Billy Lyon was armed and anxiously waiting for Stagger Lee
He shot him three times in the forehead, two times in the side
Said "I'm going to keep on shooting till Billy Lyon's died"
Stagger Lee shot Billy multiple times without remorse
Mrs. Billy, she went running and screaming, "Stack, I don't believe it's so
You and my little Billy's been friends since many long years ago"
Billy's wife was in disbelief that Stack would kill his old friend
Now, Chief Maloney told his deputies, "Get your rifles, come with me
We're gonna arrest that bad man Stagger Lee"
The law was going to bring Stagger Lee to justice
So he touched Stack on the shoulder, said "Stack, why don't you run?
He says "I don't run when I've got my 41"
The law tried to persuade Stack to run but he refused to do so without his firearm
Stagger Lee went running, straggling down Dumaine Street
Don't you know, the blood was running from his head down to his feet
Stagger Lee was injured and bleeding as he fled
The judge, he found Stack guilty, the clerk wrote it down
And the next cold winter morning Stack was Angola bound
Stack was found guilty and sentenced to prison for his crime
It was early one morning, one bright summer's day
The Chief received a wireless - Stack had run away
Stack had escaped from prison
So he got his men and he put them 'round the town
"Next time you see Stagger Lee, shoot him down"
The law was determined to kill Stagger Lee on sight
The hangman, he put the mask on, tied his hands behind his back
Sprung the trap on Stagger Lee but his neck refused to crack
Stagger Lee survived an attempted execution by hanging
The hangman, he got frightened, he said "Chief, you see how it be?
I can't hang this man, you'd better let him go free"
The hangman refused to try hanging Stagger Lee again
Contributed by Parker D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.