Folk-Song and Folk-Poetry as Found in the Secular Songs of the Southern Negroes by Howard W. Odum Lyrics
46. STAGOLEE
"Stagolee " must have been a wonderful fellow! though not so much dreaded as " Railroad Bill " and some others. Here the negro sings in his best vein.
Stagolee, Stagolee, what's dat in yo' grip?
Nothin' but my Sunday clothes, I'm goin' to take a trip,
O dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come.
Stagolee, Stagolee, where you been so long?
I been out on de battle fiel' shootin' an' havin' fun,
O dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come.
Stagolee was a bully man, an' ev'y body knowed,.
When dey seed Stagolee comin', to give Stagolee de road,
O dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come.
The refrain "0 dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come" is sung at the end of each stanza, and adds much to the charm of the song, giving characteristic thought to the words, and rhythmical swing to the music. The singer continues his narration, adding the refrain to each stanza, -
Stagolee started out, he give his wife his han',
" Good-by, darlin', I'm goin' to kill a man."
Stagolee killed a man an' laid him on de flo',
What's dat he kill him wid? Dat same ole fohty-fo'.
Stagolee killed a man an' laid him on his side,
What's dat he kill him wid? Dat same ole fohty-five.
Out of house an' down de street Stagolee did run,
In his hand he held a great big smokin' gun.
Stagolee, Stagolee, I'll tell you what I'll do,
If you'll git me out'n dis trouble I'll do as much for you.
Ain't it a pity, ain't it a shame?
Stagolee was shot, but he don't want no name.
Stagolee, Stagolee, look what you done done,
Killed de best ole citerzen; now you'll hav' to be hung.
Stagolee cried to de jury an' to de judge: Please don't take my life,
I have only three little children an' one little lovin' wife,
O dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come.
47. STAGOLEE
The above version is more usually sung in Mississippi, Louisiana,
and Tennessee, though it is known in Alabama and Georgia, besides
(*Negro Folk-Song and Folk-Poetry* 289)
being sung by, the negro vagrants all over the country. Another
version more common in Georgia celebrates Stagolee as a somewhat different character, and the song is sung to different music. The negro sings, -
I got up one mornin' jes' 'bout four o'clock;
Stagolee an' big bully done have one finish' fight:
What 'bout? All 'bout dat raw-hide Stetson hat.
Stagolee shot Bully; Bully fell down on de flo',
Bully cry out: "Dat fohty-fo' hurts me so."
Stagolee done killed dat Bully now.
Sent for de wagon, wagon didn't come,
Loaded down wid pistols an' all dat gatlin' gun,
Stagolee done kill dat Bully now.
Some giv' a nickel, some giv' a dime,
I didn't give a red copper cent, 'cause he's no friend o' mine,
Stagolee done kill dat Bully now.
Carried po' Bully to cemetary, people standin' 'round,
When preacher say Amen, lay po' body down,
Stagolee done kill dat Bully now.
Fohty dollah coffin, eighty dollah hack,
Carried po' man to cemetary but failed to bring him back,
Ev'y body been dodgin' Stagolee.
The scenes of Stagolee's activities are representative of this type of negro life. From the home to the cemetery he has gone the road of many a negro. Sometimes the man killed is at a picnic or public
gathering, sometimes elsewhere. The scenes of the burial, with its
customs, are but a part of the life: hence they are portrayed with
equal diligence.
"Stagolee " must have been a wonderful fellow! though not so much dreaded as " Railroad Bill " and some others. Here the negro sings in his best vein.
Stagolee, Stagolee, what's dat in yo' grip?
Nothin' but my Sunday clothes, I'm goin' to take a trip,
O dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come.
Stagolee, Stagolee, where you been so long?
I been out on de battle fiel' shootin' an' havin' fun,
O dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come.
Stagolee was a bully man, an' ev'y body knowed,.
When dey seed Stagolee comin', to give Stagolee de road,
O dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come.
The refrain "0 dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come" is sung at the end of each stanza, and adds much to the charm of the song, giving characteristic thought to the words, and rhythmical swing to the music. The singer continues his narration, adding the refrain to each stanza, -
Stagolee started out, he give his wife his han',
" Good-by, darlin', I'm goin' to kill a man."
Stagolee killed a man an' laid him on de flo',
What's dat he kill him wid? Dat same ole fohty-fo'.
Stagolee killed a man an' laid him on his side,
What's dat he kill him wid? Dat same ole fohty-five.
Out of house an' down de street Stagolee did run,
In his hand he held a great big smokin' gun.
Stagolee, Stagolee, I'll tell you what I'll do,
If you'll git me out'n dis trouble I'll do as much for you.
Ain't it a pity, ain't it a shame?
Stagolee was shot, but he don't want no name.
Stagolee, Stagolee, look what you done done,
Killed de best ole citerzen; now you'll hav' to be hung.
Stagolee cried to de jury an' to de judge: Please don't take my life,
I have only three little children an' one little lovin' wife,
O dat man, bad man, Stagolee done come.
47. STAGOLEE
The above version is more usually sung in Mississippi, Louisiana,
and Tennessee, though it is known in Alabama and Georgia, besides
(*Negro Folk-Song and Folk-Poetry* 289)
being sung by, the negro vagrants all over the country. Another
version more common in Georgia celebrates Stagolee as a somewhat different character, and the song is sung to different music. The negro sings, -
I got up one mornin' jes' 'bout four o'clock;
Stagolee an' big bully done have one finish' fight:
What 'bout? All 'bout dat raw-hide Stetson hat.
Stagolee shot Bully; Bully fell down on de flo',
Bully cry out: "Dat fohty-fo' hurts me so."
Stagolee done killed dat Bully now.
Sent for de wagon, wagon didn't come,
Loaded down wid pistols an' all dat gatlin' gun,
Stagolee done kill dat Bully now.
Some giv' a nickel, some giv' a dime,
I didn't give a red copper cent, 'cause he's no friend o' mine,
Stagolee done kill dat Bully now.
Carried po' Bully to cemetary, people standin' 'round,
When preacher say Amen, lay po' body down,
Stagolee done kill dat Bully now.
Fohty dollah coffin, eighty dollah hack,
Carried po' man to cemetary but failed to bring him back,
Ev'y body been dodgin' Stagolee.
The scenes of Stagolee's activities are representative of this type of negro life. From the home to the cemetery he has gone the road of many a negro. Sometimes the man killed is at a picnic or public
gathering, sometimes elsewhere. The scenes of the burial, with its
customs, are but a part of the life: hence they are portrayed with
equal diligence.