Stagger Lee – Nick Cave
Oct 18, 2011 Uncategorized
No other reason for posting this than I played the album version (Murder Stories 1996) and I remembered this live versio. Anyway, who needs an excuse to play NC?
Tags: Blues, classic rock music, love rock music, murder stories, nick cave, nick cave and the bad seeds, real rock, real rock and blues, rock, rock and blues, stag o lee, stagger lee, the best rock band in the world
On This Day – Stagger Lee (Yet Again)
Feb 9, 2010 On This Day
On this day in 1959 Lloyd Price reached number one in the States with “Stagger Lee”.
“Stagger Lee” has been recorded many times under many names by many people.
The song has been Bowderized, revised, chewed up and spat out by too many people to mention. Some of whom should have known better and some of whom had no idea of the history of the song and what it was about.
The definitive recordedversion was by the wonderful Mississippi John Hurt in 1928 although the song had been sung ever sinc ethe original crime in 1895.
Just why this particular crime became immortalised is not known (at least to me). The facts of the case m’lud, as the say, are quite simple. Stagger Lee Shelton was pimp and taxi driver in St. Louis. Not just any pimp along with a number of other pimps collectively known as “The Macks” they seemed to love the attention they got. Stagger was friends with Billy Lyons. One night they were drinking and began to talk politics, that developed into an arguement. Billy took Stagger’s hat from his head. Stagger demanded it back, Billy refused and Stagger shot him.
Killed over a hat.
Stagger and Billy became subject of a song that has mutated and survived during the following 100 years and shows no sign of being forgotten 115 years after the crime.
Alternative titles have included; “Stagolee”, “Stackerlee”, “Stack O’Lee”, “Stack-a-Lee”, “Stack Shot Billy”, and other variants that owe a lot to the original like The Clash’s “Wrong ‘Em Boyo”.
Among the artists that have sung and recorded the song are; Mississippi John Hurt, Leadbelly, Sidney Bechet, Beck, Pat Boone, James Brown, Cephas & Wiggins, Neil Diamond, Johnny Dodds, Fats Domino, Dr. John, Bob Dylan, Duke Ellington, Woody Guthrie, Bill Haley & His Comets, The Isley Brothers, Taj Mahal, Memphis Slim, Modern Life is War, Wilson Pickett, Professor Longhair, Sam the Sham, Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, Ma Rainey, Tom Rush, Ike and Tina Turner, Dave Van Ronk, Doc Watson, George Thorogood, Muddy waters, Billie Holiday, Nick cave
Anyway you get the idea virtually evryone who is someone has recorded a version of the song.
The interesting thing about Lloyd Price’s version? It removed any referrence to the murder and Stagger and Billy just shouted at each other and made up the next day…..
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Hello world!
Jun 10, 2009 About and things, Uncategorized
A new blog, but not a new site, this is Real Rock and Blues. Originally the site supported a radio programme I did for a community radio station, with the play lists and links to good bands etc.
The station died, lack of funds and too many egos…….. and so did the site.
But it is back! (Sorry about that).
What to expect?
Well lots of me pontificating about what “Real Rock and Blues” means and who does it. (Hint, not Celine Dion). Some stuff about on this days and a smattering of my thoughts (if any) and pet hates (lots).
I hope that you enjoy the ride.
Right, I am off now to clean my office (attic) while listening to Nick Cave – sort of sums up my attitude to hoovering.
Phil
Tags: blues music, nick cave, real rock and blues, rock music
