Justin Townes Earle
Same Old Stagolee
Kids in the Street — 2017
Justin Townes Earle's song "Same Old Stagolee" reimagines the classic folk tale of Stagger Lee, featured on his 2017 album Kids in the Street. In this version, Earle places the infamous narrative in a contemporary context, transforming the legendary feud into a dispute between crack dealers in a modern neighborhood. He maintains the essence of the story—violence stemming from perceived disrespect—but updates it to reflect current societal issues, highlighting how the core themes of human nature and conflict remain relevant over time.
Earle described his approach as an effort to honor and evolve traditional storytelling. He aimed to advance the "storylines that have been advanced for over a hundred years," much like other enduring folk songs have adapted to different eras and cultures. This modernization is emblematic of his broader commitment to keeping traditional music alive while ensuring its resonance with new audiences.
Same Old Stagolee
Up Chestnut Hill, down on Murfreesboro Pines He set up on the low-rise, slinging nickels and dimes He a bad man, old Stagolee It was Stagolee shot Jimmy, oh, little Jimmy Brown At the Roadway Motel, gunned that boy down He a bad man, old Stagolee You see, Jimmy loved a girl, a little girl named Valentine They grew up on the hill, there in the low-rise Next door to old Stagolee But Jimmy grew up in the bottoms, boy, and everybody knows That folks from the bottoms and the hill don't get along No one much liked Stagolee So the folks down in the bottoms said, "Boy, don't get yourself killed Ain't there plenty girls down here? Why chase one up the hill? You watch out for old Stagolee." But Jimmy said, "Come on, don't give me none of that shit You know little Jimmy Brown ain't afraid of no son of a bitch Oh, not even Stagolee." One night, Jimmy shootin' dice, down at the Roadways Outside Room 22, down the breezeway And up walked old Stagolee But Jimmy shootin' fire, throwin' seven in the air Eleven, eleven, oh seven, come again So he never saw old Stagolee I wasn't there, but I did hear the shots And by the time I arrived, the place was crawling with cops Though I did see old Stagolee Out in back of the motel, all alone in his car Went around the turnpike, sneaked past the graveyard Aw, that goddamn Stagolee So I stayed out of sight until he rolled away I don't need nobody thinkin' that I saw a thing Aw, especially not Stagolee One shot fired, and one man dead Was no fightin', not one word said Yeah, he's a bad man, Stagolee So this story done been told Time and time again Same old means, same old end Same old Stagolee