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Stagger Lee Lyrics
It was back in '32 when times were hard
He had a Colt .45 and a deck of cards
Stagger Lee
He wore rat-drawn shoes and an old stetson hat
Had a '28 Ford, had payments on that
Stagger Lee
His woman threw him out in the ice and snow
And told him, "Never ever come back no more"
Stagger Lee
He walked through the rain and he walked through the mud
Till he came to a place called The Bucket of Blood
Stagger Lee
He said, "Mr Motherfucker, you know who I am?"
The barkeeper said, "No, and I don't give a good goddamn"
To Stagger Lee
He said, "Well bartender, it's plain to see
I'm that bad motherfucker called Stagger Lee
Mr. Stagger Lee"
Barkeep said, "Yeah, I've heard your name down the way
And I kick motherfucking asses like you every day"
Mr Stagger Lee
Well those were the last words that the barkeep said
Cause Stag put four holes in his motherfucking head
Just then in came a broad called Nellie Brown
Was known to make more money than any bitch in town
She struts across the bar, hitching up her skirt
Over to Stagger Lee, she starts to flirt
With Stagger Lee
She saw the barkeep, said, "Oh God, he can't be dead!
Stag said, "Well, just count the holes in the motherfucker's head"
She said, "You ain't look like you scored in quite a time.
Why not come to my pad? It won't cost you a dime"
Mr. Stagger Lee
"But there's something I have to say before you begin
You'll have to be gone before my man Billy Dilly comes
in, Mr. Stagger Lee"
"I'll stay here till Billy comes in, till time comes to pass
And furthermore I'll fuck Billy in his motherfucking ass"
Said Stagger Lee
"I'm a bad motherfucker, don't you know
And I'll crawl over fifty good pussies just to get one fat boy's asshole"
Said Stagger Lee
Just then Billy Dilly rolls in and he says, "You must be
That bad motherfucker called Stagger Lee"
Stagger Lee
"Yeah, I'm Stagger Lee and you better get down on your knees
And suck my dick, because If you don't you're gonna be dead"
Said Stagger Lee
Billy dropped down and slobbered on his head
And Stag filled him full of lead
He had a Colt .45 and a deck of cards
Stagger Lee
Had a '28 Ford, had payments on that
Stagger Lee
And told him, "Never ever come back no more"
Stagger Lee
Till he came to a place called The Bucket of Blood
Stagger Lee
The barkeeper said, "No, and I don't give a good goddamn"
To Stagger Lee
I'm that bad motherfucker called Stagger Lee
Mr. Stagger Lee"
And I kick motherfucking asses like you every day"
Mr Stagger Lee
Cause Stag put four holes in his motherfucking head
Just then in came a broad called Nellie Brown
Was known to make more money than any bitch in town
She struts across the bar, hitching up her skirt
Over to Stagger Lee, she starts to flirt
With Stagger Lee
Stag said, "Well, just count the holes in the motherfucker's head"
She said, "You ain't look like you scored in quite a time.
Why not come to my pad? It won't cost you a dime"
Mr. Stagger Lee
You'll have to be gone before my man Billy Dilly comes
in, Mr. Stagger Lee"
And furthermore I'll fuck Billy in his motherfucking ass"
Said Stagger Lee
And I'll crawl over fifty good pussies just to get one fat boy's asshole"
Said Stagger Lee
That bad motherfucker called Stagger Lee"
Stagger Lee
And suck my dick, because If you don't you're gonna be dead"
Said Stagger Lee
Billy dropped down and slobbered on his head
And Stag filled him full of lead
Song Info
Submitted by
typo On Jan 28, 2002
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There are various recordings and various spellings (stackolee, stagolee, stagger lee, stack a lee) of this song going back decades. With it's explicit lyrics, Nick Cave's version most closely resembles 'The Great Stack-a-Lee' by Snatch and The Poontangs (a band led by Johnny Otis), in 1969. The line "I'll crawl over fifty good pussies just to get one fat boy's asshole" is actually from another Snatch and The Poontangs song called 'Two-time Slim'.
The Great Stack-a-Lee: http://cowbell.fm/track/158068-snatch-and-the-poontangs-the-great-stack-a-lee
Two-Time Slim: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhpRAe0YGeY&feature=related
I didn't think I could like this song more, then I saw the video. Nick Cave does the best homoerotic out, and still manages to look incredibly bangin' in a pink shirt.
Stagger Lee songs are rumored to have come to America on slave ships- I've read that he's been killing poor Billy for centuries and centuries.
I've also read, and agree with, that the overblown violence and profanity in Nick's take on Stag is a commentary/parody on gangster rap. Anyway, this is my second favorite Stagger Lee song, the best imo is The Clash's Wrong "Em Boyo.
The Clash's song 'Wrong em boyo' is a cover of the Jamaican band The Rulers, their song is 'Wrong Embryo'. Well worth a listen, it's the better of the two I feel.
The Clash's song 'Wrong em boyo' is a cover of the Jamaican band The Rulers, their song is 'Wrong Embryo'. Well worth a listen, it's the better of the two I feel.
@MammaBird It's nothing like this version but Lloyd Price’s version is pretty damn good, still, and has gotta be the most well-known version (not that that is terribly important, just my view from here).
@MammaBird It's nothing like this version but Lloyd Price’s version is pretty damn good, still, and has gotta be the most well-known version (not that that is terribly important, just my view from here).
@MammaBird It's nothing like this version but Lloyd Price’s version is pretty damn good, still, and has gotta be the most well-known version (not that that is terribly important, just my view from here).
@MammaBird It's nothing like this version but Lloyd Price’s version is pretty damn good, still, and has gotta be the most well-known version (not that that is terribly important, just my view from here).
Also, the Pacific Gas & Electric version, which I’m pretty sure is never heard of until Tarantino’s ‘Death Proof’, is pretty excellent. Not as straightforwardly vulgar as Cave’s version, but of the versions I have heard, it takes a similar view of what a BAD MFer ol’ Stack be…at the end of the song, Stack’s now In charge of hell, cuz he just TOOK IT...
Also, the Pacific Gas & Electric version, which I’m pretty sure is never heard of until Tarantino’s ‘Death Proof’, is pretty excellent. Not as straightforwardly vulgar as Cave’s version, but of the versions I have heard, it takes a similar view of what a BAD MFer ol’ Stack be…at the end of the song, Stack’s now In charge of hell, cuz he just TOOK IT from Satan, and Stack suggests that, for all eternity, Satan stick him with his pitchfork, and Stack will forever shoot Satan lol
I'm a bad motherfucker, don't you know And I'll crawl over fifty good pussies just to get one fat boy's asshole"
Nick Cave's best line
I don't usually leave blatant comments on lyric pages, but I have to for "Stagger Lee". This song kicks ass all the way through. Nick Cave is a storyteller.
It is very rappy, I love that! Cave is a brilliant satirist, and if there's any good place to take the piss out the rap phenomenon, it'd be Murder Ballads. It's got a fantastic bass line, metronomic rhyme-droppin', and of course, all that fucking profanity. Absolutely genius. One of my favorite songs he's done!
Its not really based on the 50's song Stagger Lee, but its based on an old folk song, which the 50's Stagger Lee took inspiration from.
This is possibly my favourite piece of Nick Cave poetry of all his work. I wish I could say 'I'm the bad mothafucker called Sagger Lee' like Nick does. It would make me a real man, I reckon.
great song....good times.
This song is SORT of based on a 50's song also called Stagger Lee.