Tom: E 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