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 bulldog bark   And he was barkin' up at the two men   Who were gamblin' in the dark      It was Stagger Lee and Billy   Two men who gambled late   Stagger Lee threw a seven   Billy swore, he threw an eight      Stagger Lee told Billy   "I cant let you get away with that   Well, you've won all my money   And my brand new Stetson hat"      Stagger Lee ran home   Went and got him his 44   Said, "I'm going to the bar room   Just to pay that debt that I owe"      Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee   Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee   Said, "I'm going to the bar room   Just to pay that debt that I owe"      Stagger Lee went to the bar room   Boy, he stood across the bar room doors   Said, "Now, nobody move"   And he pulled out his 44      Stagger Lee, cried Billy   "Oh, please don't you take my life   I got me three little children   And a very sickly wife"      Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee   Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee   Got me three little children   And a very, very sickly wife      Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee   Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee   Go Stagger Lee      Stagger Lee shot Billy   Boy, he shot that poor boy so bad   Then the bullet came through Billy   And went right through the bartenders glass      While I was standin' on the corner   When I heard my bulldog bark   And he was barkin' up at the two men   Who were gamblin' in the dark, go      Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee   Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee   Well, he was barkin' up at the two men   Who were gamblin' in the dark      Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee   Go Stagger Lee, go Stagger Lee   Said, "I'm going to the bar room   Just to pay that debt that I owe"      Go baby, go Stagger Lee