Woody seems inconsistent in the way he pronounces "Stacker Lee." Most often, it sounds like "Stacker Lee," but sometimes "Stackolee" or "Stagger Lee." For the sake of simplicity, I have stuck with one spelling in my transcription (except for the title, which is as I found it at Spotify).


STACKOLEE (STAGGER LEE)
As sung by Woody Guthrie on "The Asch Recordings, Vol. 1 – 4" (1999) 3:01

Stacker Lee was a bad man, ev'rybody knows.
Spent a hunderd dollars for just one suit o' clo'es.
He was a bad man, that mean old Stacker Lee.

Stacker Lee loaded cotton, weighed five hunderd pounds,
Carried along him a Gatlin' gun that drug him to the ground.
He was a bad man, that mean old Stacker Lee.

It was in a hustlin' B-joint where the Mississippi run.
Stacker Lee killed Billy de Lyons with a smokin' forty-one.
He was a bad man, that mean old Stacker Lee.

The high sheriff asked the deputy: "How can it be?
You can 'rest ever'body but the mean old Stacker Lee."
He's a bad man, that mean old Stacker Lee.

And the deputy told the new sheriff: "Double up my fee,
And I'll go get that outlaw by the name of Stacker Lee,
" 'Cause he's a bad man, that mean old Stacker Lee."

Gentlemen of the jury, what do you think about that?
Stacker Lee killed Billy de Lyons about a five-dollar Stetson hat.
He was a bad man, that mean old Stacker Lee.

Billy was in the card house a-kneelin' on the floor.
Stacker Lee pulled the trigger of his red-hot forty-four.
He was a bad man, that mean old Stacker Lee.

Billy said to Stacker Lee: "Please don't take my life.
I've got three little babes and my darlin' lovin' wife.
You're a bad man, your name is Stacker Lee."

"What I care about your two little babes, your darlin' lovin' wife?
You done stole my brand-new hat and I'm bound to take your life.
'Cause you're a bad man, and my name is Stacker Lee."

Billy died in the sawdust with his head upon the rail.
Deputy took ol' Stacker Lee and he marched him off to jail.
He was a bad man, that mean old Stacker Lee.

The judge said: "Mister Stacker Lee, Mister Stacker Lee,
I'm gonna hang your body up and set your spirit free,
'Cause you're a bad man; your name is Stacker Lee."

Stacker Lee on his gallus [=gallows], his head way up high.
Twelve o'clock we killed him, was all glad to see him die.
He was a bad man, that mean old Stacker Lee.
He was a bad man, that mean old Stacker Lee.