Subject: RE: Stagolee by Blind Pete & Partner
From:
GUEST,Jim Hauser
Date: 08 Jun 20 - 01:55 PM
Thank you for your response.
Personally, I feel the lyrics are ambiguous, and I see the possibility that it's actually Stagolee who is pleading for his life. I started this thread because I'm not sure if I'm right about the ambiguity, or if I'm totally mistaken and just completely missing something. (I plan on writing an essay for my website in which I suggest that it may actually be Stagolee who is pleading for mercy, so I'm curious about how other people interpret the line.)
I want to add that I know of two versions in which Stagolee is the one who pleads for his life. One version is a recording by the Downhome Boys (Long "Cleve" Reed and Little Harvey Hull) titled "Original Stack O'Lee Blues." It's the third verse. I copied the complete lyrics from another Mudcat thread and pasted them below.
ORIGINAL STACK O'LEE BLUES
As sung by Long "Cleve" Reed and Little Harvey Hull, on Black Patti 8030-B, 1927.
Stack O'Lee was a bully; he bullied all his life.
Well, he bullied to Chicago town with a ten-cent pocket knife.
And he's gone, Stack O'Lee.
Stack said to Billy: "How can it be
You arrest a man ... as me, but you won't 'rest Stack O'Lee?"
And he's gone, Stack O'Lee.
Stack says to Billy: "Don't you take my life.
Well, I ain't got none but two little children and a darlin' lovin' wife
And he's gone, Stack O'Lee.
"One is a boy and the other'n is a girl."
"Well, you may see your children again but it'll be in another world."
And he's gone, Stack O'Lee.
Standing on a corner, well, I didn't mean no harm.
Well, a policeman caught me; well, he grabbed me by my arm.
And he's gone, Stack O'Lee.
Stack O'Lee and Billy had a noble fight.
Well, Stack O'Lee killed Billy deLyon one cold dark stormy night.
And he's gone, Stack O'Lee.
Standing on a hilltop a dog begin to bark.
Well, it wasn't nothin' but Stack O'Lee come creeping in the dark.
And he's gone, Stack O'Lee.
The second version was collected by Howard Odum and initially published in the Journal of American Folklore around the year 1911. Stagolee makes the plea for mercy in the last verse, but there is a major difference because the plea is made to the jury and the judge at Stagolee's trial. Again, I copied the lyrics from a Mudcat thread and pasted them below.
STAGOLEE
Stagolee, Stagolee, what's dat in yo' grip?
Nothing but my Sunday clothes; I'm foin' to take a trip.
Oh dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come!
Stagolee, Stagolee, where you been so long?
I been on de battle-fiel' shootin' an' havin' fun.
Oh dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come!
Stagolee was a bully man an' everybody knowed,
When de seed Stagolee comin', to give Stagolee de road.
Oh dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come!
Stagolee started out, he gives his wife his han';
"Goodbye, darlin', I'm goin' to kill a man."
Oh dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come!
Stagolee killed a man an' laid him on de flo'.
What's dat he kill 'im wid? Dat same ol' fohty-fo'.
Oh dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come!
Stagolee killed a man an' laid him on his side.
What's dat he kill 'im wid? Dat same ol' fohty-five.
Oh dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come!
Out o' de house an' down de street Stagolee did run,
In his hand he held a great big smoking gun.
Oh dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come!
Stagolee, Stagolee, I'll tell you what I'll do,
If you'll git me out o' dis trouble, I'll do as much for you.
Oh dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come!
Ain't it a pity, ain't it a shame,
Stagolee was shot, but he don't want no name!
Oh dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come!
Stagolee, Stagolee, look what you done done.
Killed de bes' ole citizen; now you'll have to be hung.
Oh dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come!
Stagolee cried to de jury an' to de judge: "Please don't take my life;
I have only three little children an' one little lovin' wife."
Oh dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come!
Does anybody agree with me that Blind Pete's lyrics are ambiguous?
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sj
