Lloyd Price in Eb, I play in A capo 1
Rubato
Vox on 2 2 1 on “night was clear”, 6 6 5 3 of the key on “moon was yellow”
| A | F#m | |
| The | night was clear, and the | moon was yellow |
The I on “down” is implied, and very short
| D | A | E7 | |
| And the | leaves came tumblin’ do | wn |
At tempo, vox on the 3
| A | A7 | |
| I was | standin’ on the | corner |
| D | |
| When I | heard my bulldog bark |
| A | |
| He was | barkin’ at the two men |
| E7 | A | E7 | |
| Who were | gamblin’ in the | dark |
| A | A7 | |
| It was | Stagger Lee, and | Billy |
| D | |
| Two | men who gambled late |
| A | |
| Stagger | Lee threw a seven |
| E7 | A | E7 | |
| Billy | swore that he threw | eight |
| A | A7 | |
| Stagger | Lee, told | Billy |
| D | |
| I can’t | let you go with that |
| A | |
| You have | won all my money |
| E7 | A | E7 | |
| And my | brand-new Stetson | hat |
| A | |
| Stagger | Lee, went home |
| D | |
| And he | got his forty-four |
| A | |
| He said, I’m | goin’ to the barroom |
| E7 | A | |
| Just to | pay that debt I | owe |
| E7 | |
| G | o on, Stagger Lee |
Solo on verse chords
| A | A7 | D | A | E7 | A | E7 |
| A | A7 | |
| Stagger | Lee went to the | barroom |
| D | |
| And he | stood across the barroom door |
| A | |
| He said, now | nobody move |
| E7 | A | E7 | |
| And he | pulled his fourty-fou | r |
| A | A7 | |
| Stagger | Lee, cried | Billy |
| D | |
| Oh, | please don’t take my life |
| A | |
| I got | three little children |
| E7 | A | E7 | |
| And a | very sickly | wife |
| A | A7 | |
| Stagger | Lee shot | Billy |
| D | |
| Oh, he | shot that poor boy so bad |
| A | |
| Till the | bullet came through Billy |
| E7 | A | |
| And it | broke the bartender’s | glass |
| E7 | |
| L | ook out, Stag |
Solo on verse chords, with ad libs on “go Stagger Lee”
| A | A7 | D | A | E7 | A | E7 |