Jerry Lawson of The Persuasions acapella group has gone solo and recorded two
songs with a band: He

Don't Love You (he is harmonizing with himself) and Stagger Lee. The
Persuasions did IDs and Promos

for KPPC-FM Pasadena, California (the group is acapella) in 1970 and 1971.

-start-

Artist: Neil Diamond
Album: September Morn'
Title: Stagger Lee

The night was clear and the moon was yellow
And the leaves came tumbling down

I was standing on the corner
When i heard my bulldog bark
He was barking up at the two men
Who were gambling in the dark

It was stagger lee and billy
Two men who gambled late
Stagger lee threw a seven
Billy swore, he threw an eight
Stagger lee told "billy,
I can't let you get away with that
Well, you've won all my money
And my brand new stetson hat"

Stagger lee ran home
Went and got him his 44
Said, "i'm going to the bar room
Just to pay that debt that i owe"

Go stagger lee, go stagger lee
Go stagger lee, go stagger lee
Said, "i' m going to the bar room
Just to pay that debt that i owe"

Stagger lee went to the bar room
Boy, he stood across the bar room doors

Said, "now, nobody move"
And he pulled out his 44

"stagger lee", cried billy
"oh, please don't you take my life
I got me three little children
And a very sickly wife"

Go stagger lee, go stagger lee
Go stagger lee, go stagger lee
"got me three little children
And a very, very sickly wife"

Stagger lee shot billy
Boy, he shot that poor boy so bad
That the bullet came thru billy
And went right thru the bartender's glass

While i was standing on the corner
When i heard my bulldog bark
He was barking up at the two men
Who were gambling in the dark

Go stagger lee, go stagger lee
Go stagger lee, go stagger lee
Well, he was barking up at the two men
Who were gambling in the dark

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Subject: Which version of Stagger Lee?

From: Mark Dintenfass
Newsgroups: rec.music.rock-pop-r+b.1950s
Date: Sun, 30 May 2004 15:53:39 -0500

Here are the lyrics to the Bandstand version, from a web site:

The night was clear and the moon was yellow
And the leaves came tumbling down....

I was standing on the corner when I heard my bulldog bark
He was barking at the two men who was arguing in the dark
It was Stagger Lee and Billy, Billy took poor Stagger's date
He said you did me wrong Billy and that's one thing that I hate

Stagger Lee told Billy
I can't let you go with that
Because I loaned you my money
and my girl I want her back
Look out Stag

Stagger Lee went home and he fell down on the floor
He said Billy did me wrong and I don't wanna see him no more
Oh Billy felt bad because he hurt his poor friend Stag
I'm gonna give him his girlfriend and everything that I have

Stagger Lee and Billy never fuss or fight no more
Because he got back his girlfriend and Stagger Lee was no more sore

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