Stagger Lee Recordings
Copyright © 2002-2009
by James P. Hauser except where otherwise noted. All rights reserved.
Below is a list of just some of the many recordings of "Stagger Lee".
Archibald's great version was recorded in two parts--"Stack A Lee, Part 1" and "Stack A Lee, Part 2".
Beck's version titled "Stagolee" appears on the CD Avalon Blues: A Tribute to the Music of Mississippi John Hurt. He has cited Hurt as one of his biggest influences.
Nick Cave's "Stagger Lee" is so obscene it would make Stagger Lee himself blush. It is included on his Murder Ballads CD.
Bob Dylan's excellent "Stack A Lee" was based on Frank Hutchison's recording. It appears on his World Gone Wrong album. Check out the picture of Dylan wearing a Stetson on the back side of the CD. Interesting Link: Lyrics to Dylan's version
The Grateful Dead's version of "Stagger Lee" can be found on the album Shakedown Street. Band member Robert Hunter recorded another version of the song for his Jack O' Roses album. Interesting Links: The Annotated "Stagger Lee" and Grateful Dead Lyric And Song Finder
Mississippi John Hurt's recording "Stack O' Lee Blues" is a classic which influenced many later versions. You can find it on his great Avalon Blues album. Hurt has recorded several versions of the song.
Frank Hutchison's recording may be the very first to mention the Stetson hat. He was a white musician from West Virginia who possibly learned the song from Furry Lewis.
The Isley Brothers "Staggerlee" features the blazing guitar of a then-unknown Jimi Hendrix.
Huey Lewis and the News included "Stagger Lee" on their oldies album Four Chords and Several Years Ago. He based his version on Lloyd Price's modern classic. Lewis changed the background singers' chant of "Go Stagger Lee" to "Whoa Stagger Lee".
Lloyd Price's "Stagger Lee" was a huge hit. It has influenced many of the versions which followed it. Interesting Link: Bob Shannon's Behind the Hits: Lloyd Price's "Stagger Lee"
Versions of "Stagger Lee" have also been recorded by:
Sidney Bechet, Pat Boone, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Neil Diamond, Fats Domino, Dr. John, Champion Jack Dupree, Duke Ellington, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jesse Fuller, Woody Guthrie, Bill Haley, Tim Hardin, Wilbert Harrison, Furry Lewis, Jerry Lee Lewis, The McCoys, Memphis Slim, Johnny Otis, Wilson Pickett, Charlie Pride, Professor Longhair, Ma Rainey, Johnny Rivers, Tommy Roe, Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs, Doug Sahm, Pete Seeger, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Taj Mahal, Merle Travis, Ike and Tina Turner, Doc Watson and The Youngbloods.
For more complete lists of Stagger Lee recordings, see The American Book of the Dead: The Grateful Dead Encyclopedia by Oliver Trager and the following link.