Now Stackerlee, he was a bad man
He wanted the whole round world to know
He toted a .32-20 and a smokeless .44
Now Stackerlee, Lord, and Billy Lyon
They were gambling one day
Stackerlee losing money and he throw the cards away
Now Stackerlee, he told Billy Lyon:
"Billy, I'm sure gonna take your life
You have win my money, Jack, and I found a foul dice"
Now Billy Lyon, he told Stackerlee
He said: "Stack, please don't take my life
I have two little children and my poor little weakly wife"
"– Now one of them is a boy, Stack,
And the other one is a girl"
"– But if you love your children, Billy Lyon, you will have to meet them in the other world"
Now Stackerlee, he told Billy Lyon:
"Billy I thought you were the gambling man
You know you passed leads in a second, and you know you done fouled your hand"
Now Stackerlee, he shot Billy Lyon
When, down on that ballroom floor
It was early one morning, just about fifteen to four
Now Billy Lyon's mother, she come running
She said: "Lord have mercy on my son
Poor Billy Lyon done got murdered
And I know he didn't have his gun"
Alberta, lordy, Alberta
Baby, don't you hear me calling you?
But you're three time seven, Alberta, and you know what you want to do
I'm gonna call up the undertaker
Lord, I'm gonna ring up Mister Mose
I'm gonna ask those people:
"What will Alberta's funeral cost?"
I want a two hundred dollar coffin
Lord, I want a hundred dollar hearse
And that will put Alberta, I know six feet in the earth
Now give me water, Lord, when I'm thirsty
Honey, give me whisky when I'm dry
Give me Alberta when I need her
And heaven when I die
Now when I get all up in Glory
Lord, I'm gonna sit down on the Golden Stool
And I'm gonna ask Saint Gabe to blow me the worried blues
That's enough, boy