It was noon in the summer when the police shot him
“Stagger Lee, reincarnate” is what the cops called him
trembling hand with big ideas, which killed his wife and her man
Stagger Lee in the Flesh in Southern California

He hit a rock going 90 in the dessert
Had blowout and was forced to pull over
He grabbed the Colt and put the barrel to his head
In the midst of all the sirens from the cop cars
He heard the quiet muffled beats from his wife’s heart
The last time she had kissed him when she loved him for real

Yeah, now he knows what you shouldn’t know
It never starts, it never ends, no
He thinks out loud,
“I’ve waited my whole [bad word] life to turn my whole [bad word] life around.
If this is it, well, they gotta fight,
I’m taking every last one of them [bad word] down.”

Stagger Lee quickly opens up his car door
Sticks his left hand out waving in surrender
He hides a smile and a death wish with a fully loaded gun
Seven cops with their fingers on their triggers
Sweaty palms, grinding teeth, foggy aviators
Stagger Lee pulls the hammer back and dives into sun

He hits the ground with a barrel roll
He unloads the clip
Three cops hit the ground
The other four greet Stagger with his death

I’m so thankful
I’m so grateful
You afforded me to be born again
Another chance to make her my lover
I’ll make it right this time next life
And since you shot me
Since you killed me
I’ll haunt you in between

And I’ll possess your wife and kids
I’ll make it so you can’t forget
I’ll [bad word] back for her again, in flesh