Police officer, how can it be?

You can 'rest everybody but cruel Stack O' Lee

That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee

Billy de Lyon told Stack O' Lee, "Please don't take my life

I got two little babies, and a darlin' lovin' wife"

That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee

"What I care about you little babies, your darlin' lovin' wife?

You done stole my Stetson1 hat, I'm bound to take your life"

That bad man, cruel Stack O' Lee

With the forty-four

When I spied Billy de Lyon, he was lyin' down on the floor

That bad man, oh cruel Stack O' Lee

"Gentleman's of the jury, what do you think of that?

Stack O' Lee killed Billy de Lyon about a five-dollar Stetson hat"

That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee

And all they gathered, hands way up high

At twelve o'clock they killed him, they's all glad to see him die

That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee