Dave Van Ronk — Stackalee

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