Nick Cave - Stagger Lee (Amazing version w/ extra lyrics)

[@metaphyzikal1]

this is an incredible version it's true...I think murder ballads is one of his best albums...I love the duets on it. Small town Australia hasn't changed a lot as far as teenagers are concerned... Well at least they have KZbin etc to find great music! I hope Nick Cave produces great music for at least another 2 or 3 decades.

[@MrJellyworm]

This is the first time I heard this version, I cant believe that the original could be topped butt this is it. Pure brilliance. Incredible! Warren Ellis.....enough siad!

[@langstongrandma]

What a fantastic version! Nick always nails it. This is one song that I would love to see him perform live.

[@langstongrandma]

Just saw him doing this live in California and had to find it again. Thanks for uploading this. Gotta be a total classic. By anyone. Anywhere.

[@pytan3964]

Amazing slow-version of Stagger Lee! Feels like a powerful version for X-files soundtrack together with Dirty Three... Thanks for uploading this!

[@michaelgordon1613]

Holy shit!!! What an amazing version of this iconic song. Pure genius!

[@SimplyBergman]

i would never have thought that this song could be so smooth and elegic. Amazing Nick Cave

[@anukitsutskiridze8616]

nikoloz i love you :D amaizing man amazing performance! I just love it ! yes take you to the depth and to heaven at the same time...

[@arveaakra]

amazing is an understatement. One more thanks to the uploader...................

[@azertyfrompau]

This version is tremendous

[@monique3540]

amazing performance! I just love it ! yes take you to the depth and to heaven at the same time...

[@pike606]

Blodhosta, thanks for the upload !!

[@blokewithbike]

Astounding stuff Mr Cave..

[@mic7able]

Unreal... stunning! Etc.

[@Lieu3C4]

Quite illuminting, the comment provided of that extra last lyric.

[@brainphreak]

Once you hear the song you will understand how Nick Cave surely made it his own, and it is surely a Nick Cave original... but it is very heavily based on the original of the same name, keeping much of the same story, lyrics and delivery. The big difference was Nick turned it into a dark Johnny Cash inspired delivery and mixed in all his noise and punk roots as he is known for. Making it his.. but Nick himself would be the first to admit it was a tribute/rendition of the banned controversial song

[@skydaddydoowop]

@troyltdti Try the Live in Brixton version. Exquisite. As is this.

[@MiClaudio1962]

Very Beautifull

[@Palomitero666]

Beautiful version.

[@TheShazbot3]

Oh HELL yes!!! I love this one!

[@brainphreak]

Also it was Lloyd Price who covered the song and changed the lyrics so it involved women instead of gambling. So the REAL life incidents were not even involving women at all, Nick Cave also took this from the song since that was where it became popularize and how it was invented. Nick Cave did not also bastardize the REAL story, he merely covered the existing song material, re-arranged and re-told the same folk song,using the same lyrics in many cases and same altered story in the song, not life

[@AK49Gunner]

WOW....what a song.

[@TysonHorsewell]

I was there... the memories :)

[@123madekker]

Just Great!

[@DONC314]

Stac O Lee shot another guy named Billy Christmas eve 1895 in St Louis. Yesterday a man was stabbed to death over a bag of Cheetos about 10 blocks from the place Billy got shot. St Louis can be a rough town.

[@troyltdtime]

Hard to listen to the album version with this out there. The added verse is epic.

[@pike606]

Nick Cave has a show at the ICA (Inst of Contempo Art) advertized on the sides of the buses in Boston, here for another month. I feel bad about not buying one of his books when i had it in my hand years ago.....but i already have about six copies of the Holy Bible in my house already. I am looking forward to checking out his paintings (?) down by the harbor as the planes come in to Logan. It'll be hard to compete with his music, though. Like watching Ray Davies or Ron Wood or (the girl singer from Jefferson Airplane) paint. Go with your strength !!! Looking forward to it, though. Happy days! quig

[@johnveitch7410]

Grace Slick?

[@leeeustace7643]

I'm glad to have heard the Lloyd Price version before coming across this ...

[@MD2O2O-J.P.G.]

who are the 26 yoyos that disapprove of this unbelievably amazing song? some people will never ever get it I suppose... its sad really, and too bad for them.

[@billlyoliveman]

I couldnt agree with you more. The boy's a genius :-)

[@dukeon]

This song is actually autobiographical. Nick changed the names to protect the guilty ;-)

[@brainphreak]

mwahahha you are too funny. No not everything on wikipedia is true.. However, if I use my own ears, look into the liner notes of the album which was written by Nick Cave, I come to the same conclusion. Then wikipedia also has this conclusion with references. You being the only person who doesn't believe it! :) Nick Cave himself, the man who wrote it, was honest enough to admit where it came from. If you want to be in denial, go ahead. I just tried to set you straight with facts :) you amuse me

[@brainphreak]

Did you actually listen to what I posted? you cannot deny it was based on the same song as well as the same event if you listen to the lyrics. It was not a direct cover, but the lyrics in MANY points are very similar or EXACT as is the style of delivery and writing. Nick Cave has always been controversial, he chose the most controversial song in early history for a reason. It was no coincidence he wrote about the murder, he does that often. It all originates from the popular folk song

[@myboomstick]

when i first heard this version all those years ago along with wild world, my brain asplodeded...

[@napocetak]

I'm listening to this black, disturbed motherfucking song for ages now. It's not growing old.

[@Swordfishstick]

Awesome version! And murder ballads is a great album.

[@chatcool74]

The very best one....

[@abark]

No More Shall We Part is just about my favorite Cave album, but I am glad this song was on Murder Ballads and not this version(which is clearly how it would have been on NMSWP)

[@lt1vetteOwner]

Love it

[@grahamfuray2106]

thank you

[@sissoyen]

Awesome.

[@MrPocketmoose]

one of a kind

[@brainphreak]

The song is called "Stagger Lee" and is by Lloy Price. You can find it here on youtube. You will notice much of the lyrics are similar talking about his stetson hat an begging for their lives etc. It was a song which was much too morbid for its time and I am sure that is why Nick Cave decided to do his own rendition of the same song with an even darker and vulgar tone. Lloy Price can be given credit where it is due for taking his chances writing it in the same manner. Lloy Price - Stagger Lee

[@nellaviola8015]

00

[@hungrybren]

holy shit! thats...brilliant

[@rick19641216]

Amazing........

[@brainphreak]

Actually this is based on an original song Stagger Lee created about the man, then Nick Cave added some to it. However he did not create this from the ground up based on the story, he based it off the old controversial song, lyrics mostly intact, and adding more.

[@graywarrior]

No words.....

[@leeroyescu]

What's this formula called? Just plain hyperbole? Where you enjoy a piece of art for the escapism of the exaggeration but also the thrill of discerning its subtext, which often negates the text. Screamin Jay Hawkins - I Am The Cool also uses this hyperbolic pattern, where the subtext could be "I'm not actually all that cool and famous but that's OK, it's silly to care about things that way". Or The Big Rock Candy Mountain (Harry McClintock) where the subtext could be "Don't be silly, of course such a pie-in-the-sky story is preposterous, keep your wits about". For Stagger Lee the subtext could be "don't be fooled, cocksure hotshot stories end bad".

[@Blodhosta]

Good question. It's not exactly what you're asking for, but it reminds me a little of the stylistic device called "dramatic irony," which is when the tension/drama comes from the fact that you as audience know something that the characters in the story do not (for example if you know that the main protagonist is about to walk into an ambush). In this song, the audience quickly understands that this can't end well for Stagger Lee, but he just goes on as if nothing can ever touch him and all glory is forever. The feeling is a bit similar to two fantastic Jim Croce songs: "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" and "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" (the latter of which Nick Cave alludes to in the beginning of this video when he says "badder than Leroy Brown"). Both of those songs have even more straightforward morals to their stories: That no matter how big and bad someone might seem in their own little town there's always bigger fish out there, so stay humble and never underestimate a stranger.

[@Mahia965]

And he would LOVE your name!!

[@brainphreak]

Yeah seems to be that way, no sweat off my back! Whatever floats your boat! Just trying to help clarify and prevent anyone from being misled! :) I have a couple live full shows of Nick Cave on youtube here and also the only full performance of Grinderman. Search for some good full shows of live shit.

[@SugamotoMagasaki]

actualy as its also stated on murder ballads disc booklet is based on a older traditional song

[@myownego]

Epic!

[@tealdust1]

Whoa man, I love artist who take risks though sometimes one has to just say, "ah no not working." You don't get the sense of the tragedy of the song..well, to each it's own.

[@joverbeeck6199]

Love

[@bjohnstoneful]

Oh WOWWA!

[@dukeon]

And before anyone says it, yes I know it's a cover of an old standard, just 'Caved up' a little...

[@stjohnhelp]

Is this version on any albums? Would love to have it

[@silvia_mm6]

Io ti amo. Te e lui che dovrebbe imparare un pò dal tuo cuore.

[@kevinebarron]

Americana...we must all take our adaptions...run forward.

[@brainphreak]

Alright man, Im done arguing with you. You are in complete denial. Do you even own the album? it even gives credit there! When you look on wikipedia you also see in the album Murder Ballads it clearly states. "Stagger Lee" is based on a traditional song about the African-American murderer of the same name. Thats right... it is BASED on the traditional song.. it is Nick Cave's rendition of the popular and controversial song. hahahahahahah It does not take anything away from CAVE, he is amazing.

[@MariaFantasma]

I can't seem to find an erase button on here... In the chords he plays I think are probably a total 5 notes. Damn. I was totally being a troll... Gotta do some soul searching. Sorry.

[@MitchSwitchify]

@kalitheamare he probably doesnt even use all five!

[@whsonic]

Stagger Lee, Stack-O-Lee, Stag-O-Lee, Stack-a-lee, Stagolee, ..... en (dot) wikipedia (dot) org / wiki / Stagger_Lee

[@giatrosgiannis2719]

Eisai trellllllaaaaaaaaaaa nikolaki........

[@avrahamalchek]

can he be any better? god is in the house

[@MrNamelessnobody]

on his next appearance on letterman, he should perform this one .. . .

[@SCRex0472]

Billie Holiday could do that as well...point taken, however. Nick is POWERFUL.

[@gozzhawk]

aye no bad. but came here for video!!!

[@MD-os5bj]

Freaks my neighbours out 🇦🇺

[@nath909]

@susi blageld No that's all in your imagination.

[@marmarmariner]

Darn it, gotta have bought a Stetson hat...

[@giatrosgiannis2719]

Ο ανθρωπος ειναι αλλου.....ΔΕΝ ....παιζει..........The special one

[@TheJamesmcneil1963]

Need more fuel(alcohol). Goodnight Cleveland.

[@TaskMaster619]

Badder than Leroy Brown hahahaha legend

[@cronicasnefianas]

Really akward feeling, such lyrics with such music... I don't know, it's usually a really tragic song in such ocasions, ain't it? But I think, that's just then that you see that murder ballads go beyond the merely funny side of murder...

[@ACTConcreteCutting]

Not a fan of this one. Best one I heard was in Canberra.