E
It was early early one mornin'
       A
Boys I heard that fool dog bark
       E
He was barkin' at the two men
         B7             E
Who were gamblin in the dark
B7

E
It was Stagolee & Billy Lion
                A
Boys, they were gamblin that early day
           E
Yeah, they tossed up that seven
      B7                     E
Billy Lion told him the easy way
B7

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
& he knocked up on his woman's door
He said wake up little Bertha baby
& hand me my forty-four

You know Bertha rose out of bed screamin
She was lookin him dead smack 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
& he shot the poor boy so fast
The bullet went through Billy
& it broke the bartenders glass

Then Billy Lion started screamin
I heard him say Stagolee 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