# Stagger Lee **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 12, 2001, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stagger-lee/57664 "2001-03-12T16:17:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Balalaika\_Gap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c68b51/32.png) [@Balalaika\_Gap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balalaika_Gap)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2001, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stagger-lee/57664/1 "2001-03-12T16:17:48Z")
Does anyone know anything about Stagger Lee? Real person? Myth/legend? I was just noticing that the name is featured in songs by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds (Stagger Lee), the Clash (Wrong 'em Boyo) and the Grateful Dead (Staggerlee). And probably others that I don’t know about. Surely this is not coincidence. I’m curious to know more about this person. ---
**Author:** ![Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2001, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stagger-lee/57664/2 "2001-03-12T16:32:14Z")
A quick search turned up [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=60674) from a couple weeks ago that might help you out. ---
**Author:** ![jakanapes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jakanapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jakanapes)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2001, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stagger-lee/57664/3 "2001-03-12T16:41:01Z")
You’ll also want to check [this site](http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/kowalski/112/dictionary/stagolee.htm) too. I started an .mp3 collection of the versions of this tune and I got 14 or so out of the 63 recorded versions. Everyone from Professor Longhair to Neil Diamond… ---
**Author:** ![Balalaika\_Gap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c68b51/32.png) [@Balalaika\_Gap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balalaika_Gap)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2001, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stagger-lee/57664/4 "2001-03-12T16:41:47Z")
Wow, I feel pretty dumb. I should have searched before asking. But thank you!