I was standing on the corner
When I heard my bulldog bark
He was barking at the two men
Who were gambling in the dark
It was Stagger Lee and Billy
Two men who gambled late
Stagger Lee threw a seven
Billy swore, that he threw eight
Stagger Lee told `Billy,
I can`t let you go with that
You have won all my money
And my brand new stetson hat`
Stagger Lee went home
And he got his 44
Said, `I`m going to the bar room
Just to pay that debt that I owe`
Stagger Lee went to the bar room
And he stood across the bar room floor
Said, `now, nobody move`
And he pulled his 44
`Stagger Lee`, cried Billy
`Oh, please don`t take my life
I got three little children
And a very sickly wife`
Stagger Lee shot Billy
Boy, he shot that poor boy so bad
`Till the bullet came thru Billy
And it broke the bartender`s glass
Oh, Stagger Lee
Oh, Stagger Lee