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Stagalee Music Lyrics

Nick Cave

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Three traditional versions of the song from Murder
Ballads. Nick's version is also available.
Further details (and the actual book Nick edited from) are also available.

Stagolee

Bad man Stagalee when he bad,

He bad wid a gun

Stagalee, Stagalee --- you must-a been a sinner

Ev'ry- Christmas eve they give Stagalee a dinner

Bad man Stagalee, when he bad

He bad wid a gun.

Don't you remember you remember

One dark stormy night

Stagalee and Bill O. Lion

Dey had dat noble fight.

Bill O. Lion tole Stagalee

Please don't take my life

I got three little children

And a dear lil' lovin'wife

Stagalee told Billy O. Lion

I don't care for your three lil' children

Or even your lovin' wife

You stole mah Stetson hat

And I'm goin to take yo'life

Stagalee pulled out his forty-four

It went boom boom boom

It wasn't long' fore Bill O. Lion

WVere layin'on de flo'

Stagalee's woman she went to her boss

Said, "Please give me some change.

Dey got my baby in de station house

An'mah business mus'be'ranged. "

Stagalee asked his woman

"How much change has you got?"

She run her han'in her stocking feet

And pulled out a hundred spot.

She had to get mo'money.

From Southern Folk Ballads, McNeill Collected from Vera Hall, AL 1947

Stagolee

Stagolee was a bad man,

Ev'rybody knows.

Spent one hundred dollars

Just to buy him a suit of dothes.

He was a bad man

That mean old Stagolee

Stagolee shot Billy de Lyons

What do you think about that?

Shot him down in cold blood

Because he stole his Stetson hat;

He was a bad man

That mean old Stagolee

Billy de Lyons said, Stagolee

Please don't take my life

I've got two little babes

And a darling, loving wife;

You are a bad man

You mean old Stagolee.

What do I care about your two little babes,

Your darling loving wife?,

You done stole my Stetson hat

I'm bound to take your life;

He was a bad man,

That mean old Stagolee.

The judge said, Stagolee,

What you doing in here?,

You done shot Mr. Billy de Lyons,

You going to die in the electric chair;

He was a bad man

That mean old Stagolee.

Twelve o'clock they killed him

Head reached up high

Last thing that poor boy said,

"My six-shooter never lied."

He was a bad man,

That mean old Stagolee.

Stagolee

chorus: Stagolee, Stagolee, he's the meanest man in town

When that boy starts gamblin', better lay your money down

Down in New Orleans where they got that Lyon's Club

Every step you step you're steppin' in Billy de Lyon's blood

I remember one September, on a cold and stormy night

Billy de Lyon and Stagolee, Lord, they had a great big fight

Billy shot a seven, and Stack he said he'd pass

Stack said to Billy de Lyon, "Brother,

You done shot your last"

The woman asked the sheriff, said "How can this be?

You got all them bad men, but you can't get Stagolee"

Deputies took their badges and they laid them on the shelf

"If you want to get that bad man, you get him by yourself"

Now send for the policemen, a hundred thousand come

Loaded down with rifles and a great big Gatling gun

On Friday we condemned him, the judge he lowered his head

On Saturday we hanged him, I was glad to see him dead

Nick Cave - Stagalee Music Lyrics

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