STAGOLEE

William Lyons, 25, a levee hand, was shot in the abdomen yesterday evening at 10

o’clock in the saloon of Bill Curtis, at Eleventh and Morgan Streets, by Lee Shelton, a

carriage driver. Lyons and Shelton were friends and were talking together. Both parties, it

seems, had been drinking and were feeling in exuberant spirits. The discussion drifted to

politics, and an argument was started, the conclusion of which was that Lyons snatched

Shelton’s hat from his head. The latter indignantly demanded its return. Lyons refused,

and Shelton withdrew his revolver and shot Lyons in the abdomen. When his victim fell

to the floor Shelton took his hat from the hand of the wounded man and coolly walked

Lion”.

“Stagolee” has been recorded hundreds of times by a great variety of performers. The

version recorded by Mississippi John Hurt is considered by some commentators to be

definitive, containing all of the elements that appear in other versions. A cover with

different lyrics was a chart hit for Lloyd Price in 1959; Dick Clark felt that the original

tale of murder was too morbid for his American Bandstand audience, and insisted that

they be changed (with no murder taking place). Despite the changes, it was the original

version of the song that made #1 and was ranked #456 on Rolling Stone‘s list of the 500

Greatest Songs of All Time.

Police officer, how can it be

And a loving wife”

That bad man

Cruel Stagolee

“Do I care about your two babes

Or your loving wife?

You done took my Stetson hat

I’m bound to take your life”

That bad man

Stagolee stood on the gallows,

Head held high

Twelve o’clock they killed him

We were all glad to see him die

That bad man

Cruel Stagole