The night was clear
And the Moon was yellow
And the leaves came tumblin' down

I was standin' on the corner
When I heard my bull dog bark
He was barkin' at the two men
Who were gamblin' in the dark

It was stagger lee, 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

Yeah, go stagger lee
Yeah, go stagger lee
(Go stagger lee)
(Go stagger lee)
(Go stagger lee)
(Go stagger lee)
(Go stagger lee)
(Go stagger lee)

Yeah, stagger lee went at home
And he got his 44
He said: I'm goin' to the ballroom
Just to pay that debt I owe

Stagger lee went to the ballroom
And he strolled across the ballroom floor
He said you did me wrong, billy
And he pulled his

Stagger lee said billy
Come on ple, please don't, please don't take my life!
I've got three little children
And a very sickly wife

Yeah, stagger lee shot billy
He shot that, shot that poor boy so bad
Oh that bullet went through billy
And broke the bartender's glass

Yeah, go stagger lee
Go stagger lee
Go stagger lee
Go go go stagger lee

Stagger lee shot billy
Shot him bad