Three traditional versions of the song from Murder Ballads. Nick's version is also available. Further details (and the actual book Nick edited from) are also available.StagoleeBad man Stagalee when he bad,He bad wid a gunStagalee, Stagalee --- you must-a been a sinnerEv'ry- Christmas eve they give Stagalee a dinnerBad man Stagalee, when he badHe bad wid a gun.Don't you remember you rememberOne dark stormy nightStagalee and Bill O. LionDey had dat noble fight.Bill O. Lion tole StagaleePlease don't take my lifeI got three little childrenAnd a dear lil' lovin'wifeStagalee told Billy O. LionI don't care for your three lil' childrenOr even your lovin' wifeYou stole mah Stetson hatAnd I'm goin to take yo'lifeStagalee pulled out his forty-fourIt went boom boom boomIt wasn't long' fore Bill O. Lionwvere layin'on de flo'Stagalee's woman she went to her bossSaid, Please give me some change.Dey got my baby in de station houseAn'mah business mus'be'ranged. Stagalee asked his womanHow much change has you got?She run her han'in her stocking feetAnd pulled out a hundred spot.She had to get mo'money.From Southern Folk Ballads, Mcneill Collected from Vera Hall, al 1947StagoleeStagolee was a bad man,Ev'rybody knows.Spent one hundred dollarsJust to buy him a suit of dothes.He was a bad manThat mean old StagoleeStagolee shot Billy de LyonsWhat do you think about that?Shot him down in cold bloodBecause he stole his Stetson hat;He was a bad manThat mean old StagoleeBilly de Lyons said, StagoleePlease don't take my lifeI've got two little babesAnd a darling, loving wife;You are a bad manYou mean old Stagolee.What do I care about your two little babes,Your darling loving wife?,You done stole my Stetson hatI'm bound to take your life;He was a bad man,That mean old Stagolee.The judge said, Stagolee,What you doing in here?,You done shot Mr. Billy de Lyons,You going to die in the electric chair;He was a bad manThat mean old Stagolee.Twelve o'clock they killed himHead reached up highLast thing that poor boy said,My six-shooter never lied.He was a bad man,That mean old Stagolee.StagoleeChorus: Stagolee, Stagolee, he's the meanest man in townWhen that boy starts gamblin', better lay your money downDown in New Orleans where they got that Lyon's ClubEvery step you step you're steppin' in Billy de Lyon's bloodI remember one September, on a cold and stormy nightBilly de Lyon and Stagolee, Lord, they had a great big fightBilly shot a seven, and Stack he said he'd passStack said to Billy de Lyon, Brother,You done shot your lastThe woman asked the sheriff, said How can this be?You got all them bad men, but you can't get StagoleeDeputies took their badges and they laid them on the shelfIf you want to get that bad man, you get him by yourselfNow send for the policemen, a hundred thousand comeLoaded down with rifles and a great big Gatling gunOn Friday we condemned him, the judge he lowered his headOn Saturday we hanged him, I was glad to see him dead
Lyrics by Nick Cave
Bloody Cheche Far From Men 2 Farewell At Tinguit Mountain Scramble No Class today Setting Out Teacheru2019s Farewell The Teacher (I'll Love You) Till The End Of The World (I'll Love You) Till The End Of The World 500 Miles A Box For Black Paul A Dead Song Abattoir Blues Ain't Gonna Rain Anymore Ain't Gonna Rain Anymore All The Pretty Little Horses All The Pretty Little Horsies All Tomorrow's Parties All Tomorrow's Parties And No More Shall We Part Anthrocene Are You The One I've Been Waiting For? Are You The One I've Been Waiting For? Are You The One That I've Been Waiting For Are You The One That I've Been Waiting For? As I Sat Sadly By Her Side Avalanche Babe, I am On Fire Babe, I Got You Bad Babe, I'm On Fire Babe, I'm On Fire Babe, You Turn Me On Banks Of The Roses Big Jesus - Trash Can Big-Jesus-Trash-Can Black Betty Black Crow King Black Hair Blast Off Bless His Ever Loving Heart Blind Lemon Jefferson Blood sweat and murder Blue Bird Blundertown Breathless Bring It On Brompton Oratory Brother, My Cup Is Empty By The Time I Get To Phoenix Cabin Fever Cabin Fever! Cannibal's Hymn Cannibal's Hymn Capers Carny Carry Me Casino Cassiel's Song Cassiel's Song Christina The Astonishing Cindy City Of Refuge Comancheria Comancheria ii Come Into My Sleep Crow Jane Cry Darker With The Day Dead Joe Dead Man In My Bed Deanna Death Is Not The End Deep In The Woods Disco 2000 - Pub Rock Version [Previously Unreleas... Distant Sky Do You Love Me Do You Love Me (part 2) Do You Love Me Like I Love You, Part 4 Do You Love Me? Do You Love Me? (Part 2) Dollar bill blues Dull Day Dumb Europe Dust of the chase Easy Money Fable Of The Brown Ape Far From Me Faraway, So Close Faraway, So Close! Fears Of Gun Fifteen Feet Of Pure White Snow Finishing Jubilee Street Foi Na Cruz Foi Na Cruz Sorrows Child [DVD][Instrumental] From Her To Eternity From my cold dead hands Gates To The Garden Get Ready For Love Girl At The Bottom Of My Glass Girl in Amber Give Us A Kiss God Is In The House God's Hotel God's Hotel Green Eyes Grief Came Riding Hallelujah Hamlet Hamlet (Pow, Pow, Pow) Happy Birthday Hard On For Love He Wants You Helpless Henry Lee Henry Lee"(feat. PJ Harvey Hey Joe Hey, Joe Hiding All Away Higgs Boson Blues Ho-Ho How Long, How Long Blues I Do Dear, I Do. I Do Love Her So I Do Love Her So (Lime Tree Arbour) I Feel So Good I Had A Dream Joe I Had A Dream, Joe I Just Dropped In I Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condit... I Let Love In I Need You I Put A Spell On You I Rowed A Little Boat I'm Gonna Kill That Woman I'm Your Man I'm Gonna Kill That Woman Idiot Prayer In The Ghetto Into My Arms Intro Jack The Ripper Jack's Shadow Jacks Shadow Jangling Jack Jennifer's Veil Jennifer's Veil Jesus Alone Jesus Met The Woman At The Well John Finn's Wife John Finn's Wife Jubilee Street Junkyard Just You and Me Katy Cruel Kewpie Doll King Ink King Kong Kitchee Kitchee Ki-Mi-O Kiss Me Black Knockin' On Joe Knockin' On Joe Knoxville Girl Lament Lay Me Low Let It Be Let The Bells Ring Lime Tree Arbour Little Empty Boat Little Janey's Gone Little Janey's Gone Long Black Veil Long Time Man Lord of the plains Love Henry Love Letter Lovely Creature Loverman Lucy Mack The Knife Magneto Mama s room Mama's Boy Mama's Boy Mars Theme Mercy Mermaids Messiah Ward Midnight Man Mini Skirts [Instrumental] Miss Perfect Mister Frog Went A-Courting Mojo Mountain lion mean Mr. Clarinet Muddy Water Mutiny In Heaven Nature Boy Needle Boy New Morning Nick The Stripper Nobody's Baby Now Nobody's Baby Now O Children O'Malley's Bar O'malley's Bar Oh Happy Day [DVD][Instrumental] Oh My Lord Oh, Happy Day Opium Tea Outlaw state of mind Oxford Tragedy Papa Won't Leave You, Henry Papa Won't Leave You, Henry PATRIPASSIAN People Ain't No Good People Ain't No Good Plain Gold Ring Pleasure Is The Boss Push The Sky Away Rainy Night In Soho Red Right Hand Release The Bats Riddle House Right Now I'm a - Roaming Right Now I'm A Roamin' Right Now I'm A-roaming Right Now I'm A Roamin' Right Out Of Your Hand Rings of Saturn Robbery Rock Of Gibraltar Running Scared Rye Whiskey Sad Dark Eyes Sad Waters Sail Away Saint Huck Say Goodbye To The Little Girl Tree Scum Several Sins She Fell Away She Passed By My Window She's Hit She's Leaving You She's Hit She's Leaving You Shivers Silent Scream Six Inch Gold Blade Skeleton Tree Sleeping Analeah Sleeping on the blacktop Slowly Goes The Night Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart Song Of Joy Sonny's Burning Sorrow's Child Sorrow's Child Spell Stagger Lee Still In Love Stow-A-Way Straight To You Stranger Than Kindness Sugar Sugar Sugar Sunday's Slave Sunday's Slave Supernaturally Suzanne Swampland Sweetheart Come Texas midlands That's What Jazz Is To Me That's What Jazz Is To Me The Ballad Of Robert Moore And Betty Coltrane The Big Hurt The Briddle Path The Carnival Is Over The Carny The Curse Of Millhaven The Dim Locator The Friend Catcher The Good Son The Hammer Song The Hammer Song (In Album Kicking Against The Pric... The Kindness Of Strangers The Loom Of The Land The Lyre Of Orpheus The Mercy Seat The Moon Is In The Gutter The Ship Song The Singer The Six Strings That Drew Blood The Sorrowful Wife The Train Song The Weeping Song The Willow Garden The Witness Song There Is A Kingdom There Is A Light There Is A Town There She Goes Thirsty Dog Time Jesum Transeuntum et Non Riverentum Time Jesum Transientum Et Non Riverentum To Be By Your Side Tower of Song Train Long-suffering Truck Love Tupelo Tupelo Blues Up Jumped The Devil Vixo Wanted Man Watching Alice We Came Along This Road Well Of Misery West Country Girl What a Wonderful World What Can I Give You? When I First Came To Town Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere Where The Action Is Where The Wild Roses Grow Where The Wild Roses Grow"(feat. Kylie Minogue Wife Wild Rose Wild World Wings Off Flies Wonderful Life Yard You ask me to Your Funeral My Trial Your Funeral... My Trial Zoo Music Girl