Stackerlee — Dave Van Ronk
Chords and lyrics for Stackerlee by Dave Van Ronk (key of C).
Verse 1
Stagger Lee, or Stagolee (among other variants), is an American folk song
about the murder of Billy Lyons by
"Stag" Lee Shelton on the Christmas 1895.
Published in 1911 and first recorded in 1923 by Fred Waring's
Pennsylvanians.
Fingerpicked, alternating bass when playing C.
Intro
[C] [C] [C] [C] [F] [F] [C] [G] [C]
Verse 1
[C]I remember one September
[C]Cold and frosty night
[C]Mr. Stackerlee and Billy DeLyons [F]had a great fight, crime
When you[C] lose your [G]money, learn to [C]lose
Verse 2
[C]Old Stackerlee shot six bits
[C]Billy Lyons bet he pass
[C]Stackerlee out with his .45
[C]Says, [F]"You done shot your last"
[F]When you [C]lose your [G]money, learn to [C]lose
Verse 3
[C]Lord, a woman comes runnin'
[C]Fell down on her knees
[C]Crying "Lordy-Lord Mr. Stackerlee,
[C]Don't you [F]shoot my brother, please"
[F]When you [C]lose your [G]money...[C]
Interlude
[C] [C] [F] [F] [G] [G] [C] [C] [C] [C] [F] [F] [G] [G] [C] [C]
Verse 4
[C]Talk about some gambler
[C]Outta see my Richard Lee
[C]He shot one thousand dollars
[C]And he [F]come out on a three, cry
[F]When you [C]lose your [G]money...[C]
Verse 5
[C]Well Ole Stackerlee got his pistol
[C]Boy he got it fast
[C]Shot poor Billy through and through
[C]And he [F]broke a lookin' glass, cry
[F]When you [C]lose your [G]money...[C]
Verse 6
[C]Well the deputy says to the Sheriff
[C]"You want him dead or alive?
[C]How in the world are we gonna bring him in
[C]When he [F]totes that .45?"
[F]When you [C]lose your [G]money...[C]
Verse 7
[C]Old deputy leaves the office
[C]Puts his pistol on the shelf
[C]"You want to go and get that bad man
[C]Better [F]do it by yourself"
[F]When you [C]lose your [G]money...[C]
Verse 8
[C]Well they sent for the militia
[C]Wagons come
[C]Loaded up with pistols
[C]And a [F]great big Gatlin' gun, crime
[F]When you [C]lose your [G]money, learn to [C]lose
Verse 9
[C]Well the Judge says to Mr. Stackerlee
[C]"Mr. Bad Man Stackerlee
[C]Gonna hang your body up
[C]And [F]set your spirit free"
[F]When you [C]lose your [G]money, learn to [C]lose
Verse 10
[C]Well he's standin' on his gallows
[C]Head way up high
[C]Twelve O'clock we killed him
[C]I was [F]glad to see him die, cry
[F]When you [C]lose your [G]money...[C]
Verse 11
[C]Well there's a great big rumblin' underground
[C]Mama, what is that?
[C]Ain't nothin' but Ole Stackerlee down in Hell
[C]With his [F]John B. Stetson hat, cry
[F]When you [C]lose your [G]money, learn to [C]lose
Verse 12
[C]Well Stack says to the Devil
[C]"Devil let's just have some fun
[C]You stab me with your pitchfork
[C]and I'll [F]shoot you with my gun"
[F]When you [C]lose your [G]money, learn to [C]lose
Verse 13
[C]Well Stack says to the Devil
[C]"Put your pitchfork on the shelf
[C]I'm that bad man they call Stackerlee
[C]I'm gonna [F]rule hell by myself"
[F]When you [C]lose your [G]money, learn to [C]lose
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