The night was clear
And the moon was yellow
And the leaves came tumbling down
I was standing on the corner
When I heard my bulldog 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,
Billy swore that he threw an eight
Stagger Lee, he told Billy,
"I can't let you go with that!
You have won all my money
And my brand new Stetson hat!"
Stagger Lee started off
Goin' down that railroad track
He said "I can't get you Billy
But don't be here when I come back"
So Stagger Lee, he went home
And he got his Forty-Four
He said "I'm goin' to the barroom
Just to pay that debt I owe"
Stagger Lee went to the barroom
And he stood across the barroom floor
He said: "Nobody move!"
And he pulled his Forty-Four
"Stagger Lee!" cried Billy,
"Oh, please don't take my life!
I got three little children
And a pregnant wife!"
Stagger Lee shot Billy,
Oh he shot that poor boy so bad
Tihat the bullet came through Billy
And it broke the bartender's glass