Clifton Hicks - Stagolee

10 months ago
100
bluegrass banjo country music folk americana acoustic guitar classical traditional roots appalachia mountain southern blues

Shelton "Stag" Lee was a notorious pimp who, on Christmas Eve 1895, shot and killed Billy Lyons in a St. Louis saloon. A stolen Stetson hat allegedly caused the incident. Lee did go to prison, but he was never executed.

Most of my lyrics for "Stagolee" (Stagger Lee, Stack O'Lee, Stack-a-Lee) come from a recording of Mississippi John Hurt. My banjo arrangement is from George Gibson of Knott County, Kentucky, who also uses this melody for "Black Bottom Blues."

My instrument is an 1888 Thompson & Odell "The Luscomb" banjo tuned ~ gCGCD.

Stag Lee and Bill Lyons
Went out a gambling,
Stag Lee said he rolled seven
Billy swore that it was ten

Listen all you people
Stag was a real bad man

Billy was hanging 'round
Just a drinking with his friends,
When the barroom door swung open
And Stag Lee walked in

And the women started crying
When they seen he had his gun in his hands

Billy fell to his knees
Crying Stag don't take me life,
Think about my two little children
And my darling loving wife

He said I don't care about your children
And I don't give a damn for your wife,
You've stolen my good Stetson
Now I'm bound to take your life

Stag Lee shot Billy
He shot him with his forty-four,
Billy fell back from the table
Crying Stag don't shoot me no more

They were sitting down in the court room
Stag Lee did cuss,
The judge said let's kill him
Before he kills all of us

He was standing up on the gallows
His head was held up high,
It was twelve o'clock when they killed him
They was all glad to see him die

Stag Lee said to the Devil
Come on let's have some fun,
Go run and get your pitchfork
I'll go get my forty-one

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