Here's Jim Ringer's take on the Staggerlee story.

Mrs. DeLion's Lament
Jim Ringer
from Any Old Wind That Blows Philo 1021, 1975.

Stagalee walked down by the levee, just about the break of day
There he met old Billy DeLions and he set him down to play
Billy DeLions was a good ol' boy, but he learned just a little too late
He never shoulda swore Stagalee's seven was a goddam hard luck eight
So Stagalee told Billy DeLions well you can't get away with that
You got my money and my forty dollar suit, can't have my Stetson hat
Now if you still here when I get back with my butcher knife and gun
I'm gonna cut you if you stand still, and I'll shoot you if you run.

Cause I'm Stagalee, boys, he's comin' round the bend
He ain't doin' nothin' but just killin' off good men
He's long and he's tall and he do not wear no shoes
You cannot tell his footprints from a horse or a mule.

Stagalee he went a'walkin' in the red hot blazin' sand
Said I feel so mistreated, Lord, I could shoot most any man
Then he walked back down, found Billy DeLions and its a sad, sad thing to tell
Lord he cut him deep and he shot him down, and he laughed when Billy fell
Then he stuck his nose in the sheriff's face, and what do you think he said
You know the man I run from ain't been born, and his momma, she's done dead
Well, the sheriff come at Stagalee next morning just at dawn
With 98 deputies, the National Guard, and a brand new Gatling gun.

They lookin for Stagalee, boys, he's comin' round the bend
He ain't doin' nothin' but just killin' off good men
He's long and he's tall and he do not comb his hair
And in his face he look just like some goddam grizzly bear.

When the fight was done, they took Stagalee down to the old courtyard
In 200 pounds of loggin' chain with a Sherman tank on guard
Ol' judge he grin from ear to ear, said I see you standin' there
You killed 42 deputies and Billy DeLions and you goin' to the 'lectric chair
Ol' Stagalee shrugged his shoulders, said I guess my gamblin's done
But I'll eat your face for breakfast, Judge, if you try to take away my gun
With his six gun held in his right hand, they put him in the 'lectric chair
Said you ain't gonna put no headpiece on or cut my curly hair.

Cause I'm Stagalee, boys, he's comin' round the bend
He ain't doin' nothin' but just killin' off good men
He's long and he's tall and he do not comb his hair
And in his face he look just like some goddam grizzly bear.

When Stagalee reached the gates of Hell, he put the imps all on the run
Foamin' at the mouth and cussin' up a streak and wavin' around his gun
Walked right up in the devil's face, said I like your place just fine
I wanna shoot some body so goddam bad, (like I??) shot Billy DeLions
Devil he told Stagalee, now don't you lose your self control
You know you can't shoot Billy DeLions no more, there ain't room for no more holes
So Stagalee he told the devil, what you say we have some fun
You can stick me with your pitchfork and I'll shoot you with my gun.

Cause I'm Stagalee, boys, he's comin' round the bend
He ain't doin' nothin' but just killin' off good men
He's long and he's tall and he do not wear no shoes
You cannot tell his footprints from a horse or a mule.

From the notes: I'd like to thank my friend, Jon Adams, who may currently be living in Portland (he was at last report) for the idea for "Mrs. DeLion's Lament." I'm not sure just how much of his words and melody I used. Maybe it's a direct lift in which case there was no intent to rip him off. It's just that when I head Billy, Warren and Peter on the horns, I wanted to use them, and didn't have any song that they fit on really well.