History Music / StaggerLee

Versions of "Stagger Lee" have been recorded by a veritable who's who of popular music, including Music/DukeEllington, Music/CabCalloway, Music/WoodyGuthrie, Music/BobDylan, Music/ElvisPresley, Ike and Music/TinaTurner, Music/JamesBrown, Wilson Pickett, Music/GratefulDead, Music/TheClash, Music/NickCave, Music/{{Beck}}, and Music/TheBlackKeys.

* HistoricalBiographySong: For a lenient value of "historical", at least.

* DepravedHomosexual: In the Music/NickCave version, where Stag makes Billy give him a blowjob and then shoots him anyway.

* CoolHat: Stagger Lee's Stetson hat. In some versions, the hat has magic powers, and Stag sold his soul to the Devil for it.

The song appears to be loosely based on a murder that took place in 1895. On Christmas Day in St. Louis, "Stag" Lee Sheldon and William Lyons ("Billy"), who both had violent reputations, got into an argument. During the argument, Billy apparently took Stag's hat, prompting Stag to fatally shoot Billy.

* AintTooProudToBeg: Billy in at least one version, pleads that Lee not shoot him because he has "three little children and a very sickly wife".

Stagger Lee has entered American folklore as an {{Archetype}} of a black badass, who would influence {{Blaxploitation}}, {{GangstaRap}} and parts of the Black Power movement.

* HistoricalBadassUpgrade: Little is known about the real Stag Lee Shelton, but it's safe to assume that Stagger Lee's legendary b*adassery is ''[[{{Understatement}} slightly]]'' exaggerated in the song, especially in the versions where he takes on the Devil after killing Billy.

* HistoricalBadassUpgrade: Little is known about the real Stag Lee Shelton, but it's safe to assume that Stagger Lee's legendary badassery is ''[[{{Understatement}} slightly]]'' exaggerated in the song, especially in the versions where he takes on the Devil after killing Billy.

* HellHasNewManagement: Stagger Lee ends up as the new ruler of Hell in some versions. In live performances, Music/NickCave sometimes adds a verse in live performances in which Stag doesn't even go to Hell: When the Devil comes to collect his soul, Stag simply shoots him.

* {{Archetype}}: Stagger Lee.

-->--''Music/MississippiJohnHurt,'' "Stack O' Lee Blues"

The song dates back at least to the 1890's. The lyrics were first published in 1911, and the song was first recorded in 1923. Music/MississippiJohnHurt's mellow blues version, titled "Stack O' Lee Blues" and recorded 1928, is considered a definitive early version. Music/LloydPrice's upbeat rhythm & blues version became a number one hit in 1958, solidifying the song's status as a standard.

Versions of "Stagger Lee" have been recorded by a veritable who's who of popular music, including Music/DukeEllington, Music/CabCalloway, Music/WoodyGuthrie, Music/BobDylan, Music/ElvisPresley, Ike and Music/TinaTurner, Music/JamesBrown, Music/WilsonPickett, Music/GratefulDead, Music/TheClash, Music/NickCave, Music/{{Beck}}, and Music/TheBlackKeys.

* {{Antihero}}: Despite his murderous ways, Stagger Lee is often an implicitly or explictly heroic figure. [[https://sites.google.com/site/thestaggerleefiles/stagger-lee-from-mythic-blues-ballad-to-ultimate-rock-n-record According to James P. Hauser]], this is due to his defiance of white authority.

* {{Asshole Victim}}: Billy is often this, as he tries to either cheat or rob Stagger Lee.
* {{Berserk Button}}: You don't take Stagger Lee's hat from him.
* {{Bowdlerisation}}: Lloyd Price recorded a family-friendly version of the song for ''Series/AmericanBandstand'', in which Stagger Lee and Billy are two friends who fight over a woman and then make up.
* {{Cluster F Bomb}}: One particularly obscene version, originally taken down by a folk song collector from a New York prison inmate named "Big Stick" in 1967, and recorded by Johnny Otis' band Snatch and the Poontangs in 1969 and by Music/NickCave and the Bad Seeds in 1995.
* {{Cool Hat}}: Stagger Lee's Stetson hat. In some versions, the hat has magic powers, and Stag sold his soul to the Devil for it.

* {{Deal with the Devil}}: In some versions, Stagger Lee's badassery is due to this.
* {{Death by Adaptation}}: In many versions of the song, Stagger Lee is hanged, or shot by the police. The real Stag Lee Shelton was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the murder. He was eventually paroled, then imprisoned again, and he died in jail in 1912.
* {{Disproportionate Retribution}}: Stagger Lee kills Billy for cheating in a game and/or stealing his hat. Lampshaded by MississippiJohnHurt:

* {{Hell Has New Management}}: Stagger Lee ends up as the new ruler of Hell in some versions. In live performances, Music/NickCave sometimes adds a verse in which Stag doesn't even go to Hell: When the Devil comes to collect his soul, Stag simply shoots him.
* {{Historical Badass Upgrade}}: Little is known about the real Stag Lee Shelton, but it's safe to assume that Stagger Lee's legendary badassery is ''slightly'' exaggereted in the song, especially in the versions where he takes on the Devil after killing Billy.
* {{In the Style Of}}: The song has been recorded by [[http://www.staggerlee.com/pgs/the-list.php over 400 artists]] in a wide range of genres, including blues, folk, rhythm & blues, funk, pop, ska, disco, and rock.
* {{Karma Houdini}}: Stagger Lee, in versions where he escapes punishment. Billy's theft of his hat, on the other hand, never goes unpunished.
* {{Lyrical Dissonance}}: LloydPrice's version sounds very cheerful for a song about a murder.
* {{Murder Ballad}}: A classic example.
* {{Scary Black Man}}: The TropeCodifier, with a powerful presence in American culture to this day.
* {{Sequel Song}}: Dr. John's version is set to the same tune as Lloyd Price's, and tells the second half of the traditional story that Price didn't have time for.
* {{Soul Brotha}}: One of the prototypes.
* {{The Sociopath}}: Stagger Lee, in Music/NickCave's version.
* {{Very Loosely Based on a True Story}}
* {{Villain Protagonist}}: Stagger Lee, in versions where he is clearly the villain. Music/NickCave's version is a notable example.

"Stagger Lee," also known as "Stack O' Lee," "Stackerlee," "Stagolee," etc.; is an American folk song. The song is a MurderBallad about a {{Badass}} named Stagger Lee, who murders a man named Billy.

* {{Badass}}: Stagger Lee.

Versions of "Stagger Lee" have been recorded by a veritable who's who of popular music, including Music/DukeEllington, Music/CabCalloway, Music/WoodyGuthrie, Music/BobDylan, Music/ElvisPresley, Ike and Music/TinaTurner, Music/JamesBrown, Music/WilsonPickett, Music/GratefulDead, Music/TheClash, Music/NickCave, Music/{{Beck}} and Music/TheBlackKeys.

* {{Hell Has New Management}}: Stagger Lee ends up as the new ruler of Hell in some versions. In live performances, NickCave sometimes adds a verse in which Stag doesn't even go to Hell: When the Devil comes to collect his soul, Stag simply shoots him.

* {{The Sociopath}}: Stagger Lee, in NickCave's version.

* {{Villain Protagonist}}: Stagger Lee, in versions where he is clearly the villain. NickCave's version is a notable example.

-->-- Mississippi John Hurt: "Stack O' Lee Blues"

"Stagger Lee," also known as "Stack O' Lee," "Stackerlee," "Stagolee," etc.; is an American folksong. The song is a MurderBallad about a {{Badass}} named Stagger Lee, who murders a man named Billy.

The song dates back at least to the 1890s. The lyrics were first published in 1911, and the song was first recorded in 1923. MississippiJohnHurt's mellow blues version, titled "Stack O' Lee Blues" and recorded 1928, is considered a definitive early version. Music/LloydPrice's upbeat rhythm & blues version became a number one hit in 1958, solidifying the song's status as a standard.

* {{Darker and Edgier}}: NickCave's version, compared both to Lloyd Price's standard version, and to Johnny Otis' much more humorous take on the same lyrics. That said, some early versions are very bleak.

* {{Cluster F Bomb}}: One particularly obscene version, originally taken down by a folk song collector from a New York prison inmate named "Big Stick" in 1967, and recorded by Johnny Otis' band Snatch and the Poontangs in 1969 and by NickCave and the Bad Seeds in 1995.

The song dates back at least to the 1890s. The lyrics were first published in 1911, and the song was first recorded in 1923. MississippiJohnHurt's mellow blues version, titled "Stack O' Lee Blues" and recorded 1928, is considered a definitive early version. LloydPrice's upbeat rhythm & blues version became a number one hit in 1958, solidifying the song's status as a standard.

Versions of "Stagger Lee" have been recorded by a veritable who's who of popular music, including DukeEllington, CabCalloway, WoodyGuthrie, BobDylan, ElvisPresley, Ike and TinaTurner, JamesBrown, WilsonPickett, GratefulDead, TheClash, NickCave, {{Beck}} and TheBlackKeys.

* {{Cluster F Bomb}}: One particularly obscene version, recorded by Johnny Otis' band Snatch and the Poontangs in 1969 and by NickCave and the Bad Seeds in 1995.

* {{Scary Black Man}}

* {{Like a Badass Out of Hell}}: Stagger Lee ends up as the new ruler of Hell in some versions. In live performances, NickCave sometimes adds a verse in which Stag doesn't even go to Hell: When the Devil comes to collect his soul, Stag simply shoots him.

* {{Karma Houdini}}: Stagger Lee, in versions where he escapes punishment. Billy's theft of his hat, on the other hand, never go unpunished.