Track #6 on Bob Dylan’s twenty-ninth studio album World Gone Wrong.
Stagger Lee, (also known as Stagolee, Stack O'Lee, Stacker Lee, etc.), apparently based on an African-American man named “Stag” Lee Shelton who killed a another man named Billy Lyons in St. Louis, MO on December 25th (Christmas Day...
[Verse 1]
Hawlin Alley on a dark and drizzly night
Billy Lyons and Stack-A-Lee had one terrible fight
All about that John B. Stetson hat
[Verse 2]
Stack-A-Lee walked to the bar-room, and he called for a glass of beer
Turned around to Billy Lyons, said, "What are you doin' here?"
"Waitin' for a train, please bring my woman home
[Verse 3]
"Stack-A-Lee, oh Stack-A-Lee. please don't take my life
Got three little children and a-weepin', lovin' wife
You're a bad man, bad man, Stack-A-Lee."
[Verse 4]
"God bless your children and I'll take care of your wife
You stole my John B., now I'm bound to take your life."
All about that John B. Stetson hat
[Verse 5]
Stack-A-Lee turned to Billy Lyons and he shot him right through the head
Only taking one shot to kill Billy Lyons dead
All about that John B. Stetson hat
[Verse 6]
Sent for the doctor, well the doctor he did come
Just pointed out Stack-A-Lee, said, "Now what have you done?"
You're a bad man, bad man, Stack-A-Lee."
[Verse 7]
Six big horses and a rubber-tired hack
Taking him to the cemetery, buy they failed to bring him back
All about that John B. Stetson hat
[Verse 8]
Hawlin Alley, thought I heard the bulldogs bark
It must have been old Stack-A-Lee stumbling in the dark
He's a bad man, gonna land him right back in jail
[Verse 9]
High police walked on to Stack-A-Lee, he was lying fast asleep
High police walked on to Stack-A-Lee, and he jumped forty feet
He's a bad man, gonna land him right back in jail
[Verse 10]
Well they got old Stack-A-Lee and they laid him right back in jail
Couldn't get a man around to go Stack-A Lee's bail
All about that John B. Stetson hat
[Verse 11]
Stack-A-Lee turned to the jailer, he said, "Jailer, I can't sleep
'Round my bedside Billy Lyons began to creep."
All about that John B. Stetson hat
Stack A Lee was written by Traditional.
Stack A Lee was produced by Bob Dylan.
Bob Dylan released Stack A Lee on Tue Oct 26 1993.