Stagger Lee (Grateful Dead)

Lyrics

1940 Xmas evening with a full moon over town
Stagger Lee met Billy DeLyon
and he shot that poor boy down.
Do you know what he shot him for?
What do you think of that?
Cause Billy DeLyon threw lucky dice
won Stagger Lee's Stetson hat.

"Baio, Baio, tell me how can this be
You arrest the girls for turning tricks
but you're scared of Stagger Lee.
Stagger Lee is a madman and he shot my Billy dead
Baio you go get him or give that job to me."

"Delia DeLyon, dear sweet Delia-D
How the hell can I arrest him, he's twice as big as me.
Don't ask me to go downtown, I wouldn't come back alive
Not only is that mother big, but he packs a forty-five."

"Baio," Delia said. "Just give me a gun,
He shot my Billy dead now I'm gonna see him hung."
She waded to DeLyon's Club through Billy DeLyon's blood
Stepped up to Stagger Lee at the bar
Said "Buy me a gin fizz, love."

As Stagger Lee lit a cigarette, she shot him in the balls
Blew the smoke off her revolver, had him dragged to city hall.
"Baio, Baio, see that you hang him high
He shot my Billy dead, now he's got to die."

Delia went a walking down on Singapore Street
Three-piece band on the corner played "Nearer My God to Thee."
Delia whistled a different tune, what could that tune be
The song that woman sung was Look out Stagger Lee.
The song that woman sung was Look out Stagger Lee....