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
He was barkin` at the two men
Who were gamblin` 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 goin` to the barroom
Just to pay that debt I owe
Go Stagger Lee
Stagger Lee went to the barroom
And he stood across the barroom door
He said nobody move
And he pulled his forty-four
Stagger Lee cried Billy
Oh please don`t take my life
I`ve 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 bartender`s glass