It was early, early one morning

Boys, I heard my bulldog bark

He was barking at two men

Who was gambling in the dark

It was Stagger Lee and Billy Lyon

Boys, they gambled on a very late

Every time Stagger Lee said to Billy

Lyon told him that he's a rake

Stagger Lee lost all of his money

Boys, then he lost his brand new Cadillac

He said, "I believe you've been cheating, Billy

Don't be here when I come back"

Stagger Lee went home

And he knocked upon his woman's door

He said, "Wake up, Lubertha, baby

And hand me my forty-four"

You know, Bertha jumped out of bed screaming

And she was looking dead in Stagger Lee's eyes

She said, "Come on inside, honey

I can see some poor man's going to die"

Then Stagger Lee told Bertha

That he had lost his Cadillac

But he believed Billy was cheating

Then she knew that he didn't go for that

Oh yeah

Stagger Lee went back on the corner

And he stood up in the barroom door

He said, "Don't nobody move

Because I got my forty-four"

Stagger Lee grabbed Billy Lyon

And he shot the poor boy so fast

The bullet went through Billy

But it broke the bartender's glass

Then Billy Lyon started to screaming

I heard him say, "Stagger Lee, don't take my life

You know, I got two little children

And a poor little old sickly wife"

Stagger Lee told Billy

"Yes, I know you got a cute boy and girl

But if you want to see your family, Billy

Meet them in another world"

Oh yeah