10.31.2011

DICK WAGNER *NEW VIDEO* STAGGER LEE


Dick Wagner in the studio

Getting excited to meet the legendary Maestro of Rock, Dick Wagner this week! Dick is in the air today flying East to be in Detroit with his legion of fans! Myself one of his biggest fans...


Received an email from Suzy Michelson Dick Wagner's business partner asking me if I would create a video for Dick's cover of the song "Stagger Lee".


Everyone knows this tune... It was written in 1910 (they think) and has been covered well over 400 times. Scott Morgan told me last night that the song was originally "Stacker Lee".

"Stagger Lee", also known as "Stagolee", "Stackerlee", "Stack O'Lee", "Stack-a-Lee" and several other variants, is a popular folk song based on the murder of William "Billy" Lyons by Stagger Lee Shelton. Herb Wiedoeft and his band recorded the song in 1924. Read More on Wiki

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 to eliminate the murder.

In this version, the subject was changed from gambling to fighting over a woman, and instead of a murder, the two yelled at each other, and made up the next day. However, it was the original version of Lloyd's performance that reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was ranked #456 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.

The night was clear, and the moon was yellow
And the leaves came tumblin' down. . .

I was standin' on the corner
When I heard my bull dog bark.
He was barkin' at the two men
Who were gamblin' in the dark.

It was Stagger Lee and Billy,
Two men who gambled late.
Stagger Lee threw a seven,
Billy swore that he threw eight.

"Stagger Lee," told Billy,
"I can't let you go with that.
"You have won all my money,
"And my brand-new Stetson hat."

Stagger Lee went home
And he got his .44.
He said, "I'm goin' to the ballroom
"Just to pay that debt I owe."

Stagger Lee went to the ballroom
And he strolled across the ballroom floor.
He said "You did me wrong, Billy."
And he pulled his .44.

"Stagger Lee," said Billy,
"Oh, please don't take my life!
"I've got three hungry children,
"And a very sickly wife."

Stagger Lee shot Billy
Oh, he shot that poor boy so hard
That a bullet went through Billy
And broke the bartender's glass.


1 comment:

Suzy Michelson said...

WOWWWW I LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KIM YOU ROCK DOUBLE TIME, GIRL!!

LOVE and HUGS,
Suzy

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