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