Bb                                                                      Eb
It was early early one mornin', Boys I heard that fool dog bark
               Bb                                                                   F                              Bb
He was barkin' at the two men, Who were gamblin in the dark

It was Stagolee & Billy Lion, Boys, they were gamblin that early day
Yeah, they tossed up that seven, Billy Lion told him the easy way

Stagolee lost all his money, Lost his new cadilac
He said I believe your cheatin', Don't be here when I get back

Stagolee went home, And he knocked up on his woman's door
He said wake up little Bertha baby, and hand me my forty-four

You know Bertha rose out of bed screamin, She was lookin him in the eye
She said come on in honey, I can see some poor man's gonna die

Then Stagolee told Bertha, That he had lost his new cadilic
But he believed Billy was cheatin, & she knew he wouldn't go for that

Stagolee went back on the corner, & stood up in the barroom door
& he said don't nobody move, Cuz I got me my forty-four

Stagolee cried Billy, and he shot the poor boy so fast
The bullet went through Billy, and it broke the bartenders glass

Then Billy Lion started screamin, Said Stag don't take my life
You know I got two little children, & a poor little old sickly wife

Stagolee told Billy, Yeah I know you got a cute little boy & girl
If you want to see your family billy, You'll have to meet 'em in another world