John Henry was a railroad man, He worked from six 'till five, "Raise 'em up bullies and let 'em drop down, I'll beat you to the bottom or die."
John Henry said to his captain: "You are nothing but a common man, Before that steam drill shall beat me down, I'll die with my hammer in my hand."
John Henry said to the Shakers: "You must listen to my call, Before that steam drill shall beat me down, I'll jar these mountains till they fall."
John Henry's captain said to him: "I believe these mountains are caving in." John Henry said to his captain: "Oh, Lord!" "That's my hammer you hear in the wind."
John Henry he said to his captain: "Your money is getting mighty slim, When I hammer through this old mountain, Oh Captain will you walk in?"
John Henry's captain came to him With fifty dollars in his hand, He laid his hand on his shoulder and said: "This belongs to a steel driving man."
John Henry was hammering on the right side, The big steam drill on the left, Before that steam drill could beat him down, He hammered his fool self to death.
They carried John Henry to the mountains, From his shoulder his hammer would ring, She caught on fire by a little blue blaze I believe these old mountains are caving in.
John Henry was lying on his death bed, He turned over on his side, And these were the last words John Henry said "Bring me a cool drink of water before I die."
John Henry had a little woman, Her name was Pollie Ann, He hugged and kissed her just before he died, Saying, "Pollie, do the very best you can."
John Henry's woman heard he was dead, She could not rest on her bed, She got up at midnight, caught that No. 4 train, "I am going where John Henry fell dead."
They carried John Henry to that new burying ground His wife all dressed in blue, She laid her hand on John Henry's cold face, "John Henry I've been true to you."
A story appearing in the St. Louis, Missouri Globe-Democrat in 1895 read:
William Lyons, 25, a levee hand, was shot in the abdomen yesterday evening at 10 o'clock in the saloon of Bill Curtis, at Eleventh and Morgan Streets, by Lee Shelton, a carriage driver. Lyons and Shelton were friends and were talking together. Both parties, it seems, had been drinking and were feeling in exuberant spirits. The discussion drifted to politics, and an argument was started, the conclusion of which was that Lyons snatched Shelton's hat from his head. The latter indignantly demanded its return. Lyons refused, and Shelton withdrew his revolver and shot Lyons in the abdomen. When his victim fell to the floor Shelton took his hat from the hand of the wounded man and coolly walked away. He was subsequently arrested and locked up at the Chestnut Street Station. Lyons was taken to the Dispensary, where his wounds were pronounced serious. Lee Shelton is also known as "Stagger" Lee.
Lyons eventually died of his injuries. Shelton was tried, convicted, and served prison time for this crime. This otherwise unmemorable crime is remembered in a song. In some older versions of the song, the name of the other party is given as "Billy Deslile" or "De Lion."
Also known as Stagalee, Staggerlee, Stacker Lee, Stack O'Lee, or Stagger Lee, Stagolee is one of the most famous folktales and American ballads, which exists in many different versions, including the following:
Version 2
It was early, early one mornin', When I heard my bulldog bark, Stagolee and Billy Lyons Was squabblin' in the dark.
Stagolee told Billy Lyons, 'What do you think of that? You win all my money, Billy, Now you spit in my Stetson hat.'
Stagolee, he went a-walkin' In the red-hot, broilin' sun— Says, 'Bring me my six-shooter, Lawd, I wants my forty-one.'
Stagolee, he went a-walkin' Through the mud and through the sand. Says, 'I feel mistreated this mornin', I could kill most any man.'
Billy Lyons told Stagolee, Please don't take my life, I've got three little helpless chillun And one poor, pitiful wife.'
'Don't care nothin' about your chillun, And nothin' about your wife, You done mistreated me, Billy, And I'm bound to take your life.'
He shot him three times in the shoulder, Lawd, and three times in the side, Well, the last time he shot him Cause Billy Lyons to die.
Stagolee told Mrs Billy, 'You don't believe yo' man is dead; Come into the bar-room, See the hole I shot in his head.'
The high sheriff told the deputies, Get your pistols and come with me. We got to go 'rest that Bad man Stagolee.'
The deputies took their pistols And they laid them on the shelf— If you want that bad man Stagolee, Go 'rest him by yourself.'
High sheriff ask the bartender, 'Who can that bad man be?' 'Speak softly,' said the bartender, It's that bad man Stagolee.'
He touch Stack on the shoulder, Say, 'Stack, why don't you run?' 'I don't run, white folks, When I got my forty-one.'
The hangman put the mask on, Tied his hands behind his back, Sprung the trap on Stagolee But his neck refuse to crack.
Hangman, he got frightened, Said, 'Chief, you see how it be— I can't hang this man, Better set him free.'
Three hundred dollar funeral, Thousand dollar hearse, Satisfaction undertaker Put Stack six feet in the earth.
Stagolee, he told the Devil, Says, 'Come on and have some Fun— You stick me with your pitchfork, I'll shoot you with my forty-one.'
Stagolee took the pitchfork, And he laid it on the shelf. Says, 'Stand back, Tom Devil, I'm gonna rule Hell by myself.'
Version 3
O Mr Police Officer, How can it be, You arrest everybody But cruel Staggerlee, That bad man, O Cruel Staggerlee.
Billy Lyons told Staggerlee Please don't take my life Says I gotten two little babes And a darling loving wife. He's a bad man O Cruel Staggerlee
What I care about your two babes And darling loving wife Said you done stole my stetson hat I bound to take your life. He's a bad man O Cruel Staggerlee
Oh Ho O Home With a forty-four With his eyes wide open He's lying down on the floor That bad man O Cruel Staggerlee
Gentlemen of the jury, What do you think of that? Said Staggerlee killed Billy Lyons For a five-dollar Stetson hat. He's a bad man O Cruel Staggerlee
Standing on the gallows Staggerlee he cursed The judge said Let's kill him 'fore he kills some of us He's a bad man O Cruel Staggerlee
Standing on the gallows Hanging up high At 12 o'clock they killed him We was all glad to see him die. He's a bad man O Cruel Staggerlee
O Mr Officer, How can it be, You can arrest everybody But cruel Staggerlee, That bad man, O Cruel Staggerlee.
