Stagger Lee

Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jerry Garcia

Based on the traditional song "Stagger Lee", "Stagolee" or "Stack O'Lee." Robert Hunter wrote a version that he performed solo, and Jerry Garcia subsequently re-ordered the lyrics and rewrote the music for the Grateful Dead's version. More recently Bob Weir has also been performing some of the older traditional versions with Ratdog.

This is the version as performed by the Grateful Dead::

Nineteen forty, Xmas eve, with the full moon over town (note 1)
Stagger Lee shot Billy DeLyon and he blew that poor boy down
Do you know what he shot him for, what do you make of that
'Cause Billy DeLyon threw lucky dice, won Stagger Lee's stetson hat

Baio, Baio, tell me how can this be
You go arrest the girls for turning tricks but you're scared of Stagger Lee
Stagger Lee is a mad man, and he shot my Billy dead
Baio go get him, or give the job to me

Delia, Delia, dear sweet Delia D
How the hell can I arrest him, when he's twice as big as me
Well don't ask me to go downtown, I wouldn't come back alive
Not only is that mother big, he packs a forty five

Baio, Delia said, just give me a gun
He shot my Billy dead and now I'm gonna see him hung
She waded to DeLyon's club through Billy DeLyon's blood
Stepped up to Stagger Lee at the bar, said buy me a gin fizz love

As Stagger Lee lit a cigarette, she shot him in the balls (note 2)
Blew the smoke off her revolver, had him dragged to City Hall
Baio, Baio, see you hang him high
He shot my Billy dead and now he's got to die

Delia went a-walking down on Singapore Street
Three piece band on the corner played 'nearer my God to thee'
But Delia whistled a different tune, what tune could it be
The song that woman sang was look out Stagger Lee
The song that Delia sang was look out Stagger Lee

Nineteen forty, Xmas eve, with the full moon over town
When Stagger Lee shot Billy DeLyon just blew that poor boy down
He's a mad man

Do you know what he shot him for, what do you make of that?
Billy DeLyon threw lucky dice, and won Stagger Lee's stetson hat
He's a mad man

Baio, Baio, tell me how can this be
You arrest the girls for turning tricks but you're scared of Stagger Lee
He's a mad man

Delia DeLyon, dear sweet Delia D
How the hell can I arrest him, sugar, when he's twice as big as me
And he's a mad man

Don't ask me to go downtown, when I couldn't come back alive
Not only is that mother big, but he packs a forty five
He's a mad man

Delia said "Baio, just give me a gun
You know he shot my sweet Billy dead and I'm gonna see him hung"
He's a mad man

Delia went walking down on Singapore Street
A two piece band on the corner played 'nearer my God to thee' (note 3)
Hey a mad man
Here comes Delia D

She waded to DeLyon's club through Billy DeLyon's blood
Walked up to Stagger Lee at the bar, said buy me a gin fizz love
Mad man

Delia, diddle-de-dee
Billy DeLyon and Stagger Lee
Delia, diddle-de-dee
Billy DeLyon and Stagger Lee

As Stagger Lee lit a cigarette, she shot him in the balls
Blew the smoke of her revolver, had him dragged to City Hall
Mad man

She said bye-bye Baio, see you hang him high
You know he shot my Billy DeDylon dead and I want to see him die
He's a mad man

Delia, diddle-de-dee
Billy DeLyon and Stagger Lee

Nineteen twenty, Xmas eve, with a full moon over town (note 4)
When Stagger Lee shot Billy DeLyon just blew that poor boy down
He was a mad man
That old Stagger Lee

Police officer
How can it be?
You can arrest everybody
But cruel Stagger Lee
That bad man
Oh cruel Stagger Lee

Billy DeLyon told Stagger Lee
Please don't take my life
I got two little babes
And a darling, loving wife
That bad man
Oh cruel Stagger Lee

What do I care about your two little babes
And a darling loving wife?
You done stole my Stetson hat
I'm bound to take your life
That bad man
Oh cruel Stagger Lee

Boom boom, boom boom
Went a fourty-four
Well when I spied Billy DeLyon
He's lying down on the floor
That bad man
Oh cruel Stagger Lee

Gentlemens of the jury
What you think of that?
Stagger Lee killed Billy DeLyon
'Bout a five dollar Stetson hat.
That bad man
Oh cruel Stagger Lee

Standing on the gallows
Head way up high,
At twelve o'clock, they killed him
We was all glad to see him die
That bad man
Oh cruel Stagger Lee

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
It was barking at the two men who wer gambling
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 went home
And he got his forty four
Said, I'm going to the bar-room just pay that
Debt I owe

Stagger Lee went to the bar-room
Billy stood across the bar-room door
Said, now nobody move, and he pulled his
Forty four

Stagger Lee shot Billy
Oh please don't take my life
I got 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
Bar-tender's glass