- Version Mississippi John Hurt
Police officer, how can it be?
You can 'rest everybody but cruel Stack O' Lee
That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O'Lee.
Billy de Lyon told Stack O' Lee, "Please don't take my life,
I got two little babies, and a darlin' lovin' wife"
That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O'Lee.
"What I care about you little babies, your darlin' lovin' wife?
You done stole my Stetson hat, I'm bound to take your life"
That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O'Lee
...with the forty-four
When I spied Billy de Lyon, he was lyin' down on the floor
That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O'Lee.
"Gentleman's of the jury, what do you think of that?
Stack O' Lee killed Billy de Lyon about a five-dollar Stetson hat"
That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O'Lee.
And all they gathered, hands way up high,
at twelve o'clock they killed him, they's all glad to see him die
That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O'Lee.
Version Lloyd Price
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 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".
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".
Stagger Lee went home and he got his forty-four
Said "I'm goin' to the barroom just to pay that debt I owe".
Stagger Lee, he went to the barroom and he stood across the barroom door
He said "Nobody move" and he pulled his forty-four.
Stagger Lee cried Billy, please don't take my life,
I have 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 it broke the bartender's glass.
Version Bob Dylan
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.
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.
"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."
"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.
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.
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."
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.
Hawlin Alley, thought I heard the bulldogs bark.
It must have been ol' Stack-A-Lee stumbling in the dark.
He's a bad man, gonna land him right back in jail.
High police walked on to Stack-A-Lee, he was lying fast asleep.
High police get Stack-A-Lee, and he jumped forty feet.
He's a bad man, gonna land him right back in jail.
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.
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.