Stackerlee - Dave Van Ronk

I remember one September

Cold and frosty night

Mr. Stack O’Lee and Billy Lyon

Had a great fight

When you lose your money

Learn to lose

Ol' Stackerlee shot six bits

Billy Lyons bet he passed

Stackerlee out with his forty-five

Says you’ve done shot your last

When you lose your money

Learn to lose

Lord, a woman comes a running

Fell down on her knees

Crying, Lordy Lord, Mister Stakerlee

Don’t shoot my brother please

When you lose your money…

Talk about some gambler

Oughta seen Richard Lee

Shot one thousand dollars

And come out on a three

When you lose your money

Learn to lose

Stackerlee got his pistol

Lord, he got it fast

Shot poor Billy through and through

And he broke a looking glass

When you lose your money…

Well, the deputy says to the sheriff

We want him dead or alive

How in the world can we bring him in

When he totes a forty-five

When you lose your money

Learn to lose

Old deputy leaves the office

Put his pistol on the shelf

You wanna go and get that bad man

Dammit, do it by yourself

When you lose your money…

Well, they sent for the militia

Wagons come

Loaded up with pistols

And a great big Gatling Gun

When you lose your money

Learn to lose

Well, the judge says, «Mister Stackerlee

Mister bad man Stackerlee

Gonna hang your body up

And set your spirit free»

When you lose your money

Learn to lose

Well, he standed on his gallows

Head way up high

Twelve o’clock, we killed him

I was glad to see him die

When you lose your money…

There’s a great big rumbling underground

Mama, what is that?

Ain’t nothin' but old Stackerlee down in hell

With his John B. Stetson hat

When you lose your money

Learn to lose

Well, Stack says to the devil

Devil, lets have some fun

You stab me with your pitchfork

And I’ll shoot you with my gun

When you lose your money

Learn to lose

Well, Stack says to the devil

Put your pitchfork on the shelf

I’m the bad man they call Stackerlee

I’m gonna rule hell by myself

When you lose your money

Learn to lose