C Em F C
The night was dark and the moon was yellow
Dm7 G C G
And the leaves came tumblin' down
[Verse 1]
C F
I was standin' on the corner when I heard my bull dog bark
C G C G
He was barkin' at the two men who was gamblin' in the dark
C F
It was Stagger Lee and Billy, two men who gambled late
C G C G
Stagger Lee threw a seven, Billy swore that he threw eight
C F
'Oh now, Stagger Lee' cried Billy 'I can't let you go with that'
C G C G
'You have won all my money and my brand-new Stetson hat'
C F
Oh now, Stagger Lee went home, he got afraid his .44
C G C G
He said 'I'm goin' to the ballroom just to pay that debt I owe'
[Instrumental]
C F C G C G
C F C G C G
[Verse 2]
C F
Oh now, Stagger Lee went to the ballroom and he stood behind the door
C G C G
He said 'Nobody moves' and he pulled his .44
C F
'Yeah now, Stagger Lee' cried Billy 'oh, please, don't take my life'
C G C G
'I've got three little children and a very sickly wife'
C F
Yeah now, Stagger Lee shot Billy and you know he shot that poor boy so bad
C G C G
That a bullet went through Billy and broke the bartender's bar
[Outro]
C F C G C G
C F C G C G
C F C G C G
C F C G C
