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 And he was barkin' up at two men Who were gamblin' in the dark It was Stagger Lee and Billy Two men who gambled late Stagger Lee threw seven, Billy swore that he threw eight Stagger Lee told Billy, "I can't let you get away with that", "Well you have won all my money And my brand new Stetson hat" Stagger Lee he ran home Went and he got his forty-four Said "I'm goin' to the barroom Just to pay that debt I owe" Go Stagger Lee Go Stagger Lee Go Stagger Lee Go Stagger Lee Said "I'm goin' to the barroom Just to pay that debt I owe" Stagger Lee went to the barroom He stood across the barroom door He said "Now nobody move" And he pulled his forty-four "Stagger Lee" cried Billy, "Oh please don't you take my life." "I got me three little children And a very sickly wife." Go Stagger Lee Go Stagger Lee Go Stagger Lee Go Stagger Lee "I got me three little children And a very sickly wife" Stagger Lee shot Billy, Oh he shot that poor boy so bad Till the bullet came through Billy And went right through The bartender's glass While I was standing on the corner When I heard my bulldog bark And he was barkin' up at two men Who were gamblin' in the dark Go Baby Go Stagger Lee Go Stagger Lee Go Stagger Lee Go Stagger Lee And he was barkin' up at two men Who were gamblin' in the dark Go Stagger Lee Go Stagger Lee Go Stagger Lee Go Stagger Lee Said "I'm goin' to the barroom Just to pay that debt I owe"