Stagger Lee

First versions

It seems that the song was born immediately after the fact. In 1897 , the Kansas City Leavenworth Herald mentions a piece titled Stack-a-Lee performed by “Prof. Charlie Lee, the piano thumper “. One of the earliest versions that has come down to us is that recorded in 1910 by the John Lomax folklorist for the American Library of Congress . The first version with lyrics is that of Lovie Austin , Skeeg-a-Lee Blues , in 1924.

Other ancient recordings of this piece include:

• The Waring’s Pennsylvanians, O ‘Lee Blues Stack (1923)
• Frank Westphal & His Regal Novelty Orchestra, O ‘Lee Blues Stack (1923)
• Herb Wiedoeft and his band, Stack O ‘Lee blues (1924)
• Johnny Dodds with Ford and Ford, Skeeg-a-Lee Blues (1924)
• Ma Rainey and Her Georgia Band , with Louis Armstrong , Stack O ‘Lee Blues (1925)
• Frank Hutchison , Stackalee (1927)
• Duke Ellington , O ‘Lee Blues Stack (1928)
• Furry Lewis , Billy Lyons and Stack O’Lee (1928)
• Mississippi John Hurt , Stack O’Lee Blues (1928)
• Cab Calloway , Stack O’Lee Blues (1931)
• Ivory Joe Hunter , Stackolee (1933)
• Big Joe Williams , Stagolee (1935)
• Woody Guthrie , Stackolee (1941)

Versions after the war

In 1958, Lloyd Price recorded a very popular rock ‘n’ roll version, which was also often repeated later. This version, number 1 in the US in February 1959 ¹ , is ranked 456 ^th among the 500 greatest songs of all time by Rolling Stone magazine Rolling Stone .

Other interpretations of this piece include:

• Big Bill Broonzy , Williamson Sonny Boy II and Memphis Slim , Stackalee (1947)
• Archibald, Stack-A’Lee , part 1 & 2 (single 1950, Imperial ) ² , No. 10 in the rhythm and blues charts ;
• Tennessee Ernie Ford , Stack-O-Lee (single, 1951)
• Dave Bartholomew , The Ballad of Stack-O-Lee (1952);
• Sidney Bechet and His Blue Note Jazzmen , Stack O’Lee Blues (1950);
• Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group , Stackalee (1956)
• Lloyd Price , Stagger Lee (single, 1958) ³ ;
• Pete Seeger , Stagolee , on the album American Favorite Ballads, Volume 2 (1958);
• Jerry Lee Lewis , Stagger Lee (1959);
• Champion Jack Dupree , Stack-O-Lee , on the album Blues From The Gutter (1959);
• Fats Domino , Stack & Billy (1959), and Stagger Lee , in concert;
• Bill Haley and His Comets , Stagger Lee , on their eponymous album (1960);
• Memphis Slim , Stackalee (1961);
• The Isley Brothers , Stagger Lee , on Twisting and Shouting (1962);
• Mosquito , Stagger Lee (1964) in French;
• Trini Lopez , Stagger Lee , on Live at Basin St. East (1964);
• Johnny Rivers , Stagger Lee , on the album Meanwhile Back at The Whiskey at Go Go (1965);
• Ike and Tina Turner , Lee and Billy Stagger (single, 1965), with different lyrics and melody;
• Lee Dorsey , Stagger Lee (1966);
• James Brown , Stagger Lee , on Cold Sweat (1967);
• Wilson Pickett , Stack-O’Lee (single, 1967), No. 30 in the rhythm and blues charts ;
• Sam the Sham , Stagger Lee , on Ten Of Pentacles (1968);
• Mary Wells , Stagger Lee , on Servin ‘Up Some Soul (1968);
• Taj Mahal , Stagger Lee , on Giant Steps / The Old Folks at Home (1969);
• Pacific Gas and Electric , Staggolee , Are You Ready? (1970)
• Elvis Presley , Stagger Lee , in the documentary That’s The Way It Is (1970);
• Tim Hardin , Stagger Lee ;
• Dr. John , Stack A Lee (1972);
• John Holt , Stagger Lee (single, 1972);
• Ike and Tina Turner , Stagger Lee (1973), “original” version;
• Professor Longhair , Stag-O-Lee , on Rock ‘N’ Roll Gumbo (1974);
• Grateful Dead , Stagger Lee , on Shakedown Street (1978), with a rewrite of the lyrics by Robert Hunter and a new musical arrangement by Jerry Garcia ⁴ ;
• Neil Diamond , Stagger Lee , on September Morn (1979);
• Tom Jones , Stagger Lee in concert;
• Southside Johnny And The Asbury Jukes , Stagger Lee , on the album Live – Reach Up And Touch The Sky (1981);
• The Fabulous Thunderbirds , Stagger Lee , on the soundtrack of Porky’s Revenge! (1985);
• Merle Travis , Stack O’Lee , on Rough, Rowdy And Blue (1986);
• Willie and the Poor Boys , Stagger Lee , on Tear it up – Live (1994);
• Bob Dylan , Stack a Lee , on World Gone Wrong (1993);
• Huey Lewis and the News , Stagger Lee , on Four Chords & Several Years Ago (1994)
• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds , Stagger Lee , on Murder Ballads (1996);
• Beck , Stagolee , on Avalon Blues A Tribute To The Music Of Mississippi John Hurt (2001);
• The Black Keys , Stack Shot Billy , on Rubber Factory (2004);
• Chris Whitley & Jeff Lang , Stagger Lee on their joint album Dislocation Blues (2006)
• Eric Bibb , Stagolee , on the DVD Up Close with Eric Bibb (2007);
• Samuel L. Jackson , Stackolee , in the movie Black Snake Moan (2007);
• Keb ‘Mo’ , Stack O Lee , on the music of the movie Honeydripper (2008)

Songs Long Gone Geek of Procol Harum , on side B of A Salty Dog (1969) Wrong ‘Em Boyo of Rulers (1966), taken over by The Clash on the album London Calling in 1979, and Mrs. DeLion’s Lament by David Bromberg , on Reckless Abandon (1977), also recount this event.

Notes and references