Tabbed by: Don Tago


Standard Tuning

Intro: C5


Verse 1 chords:
C5
Well, Louis Collins took a trip out west
                                      F5
And when he returned, well, Delia had gone to rest
    C5      G5        C5 
The angels laid her away 
C5
Louis said to Delia, "That's the problem with life
                                  F5
People are always leaving just as other folks arrive" 
    C5      G5        C5
The angels laid her away 
              C5
And when the people heard that Delia was dead
                               F5
And all of them gentlemen were dressed in red
    C5      G5        C5
The angels laid her away


Chorus 1 chords:
    C5      F5        C5
The angels laid her away
C5          C5        F5
Buried her six feet under the clay
    C5       G5       C5
The angels laid her away. 


Verse 2: [use verse 1 chords]
Well Louis went downtown for a new suit of clothes 
?I'm gonna dress up for Delia like a fine red rose? 
The angels laid him away 

He bought a ten gallon Stetson, and it was ox-blood red
Stagger Lee shot Louis in the back of the head 
The angels laid him away

Oh Stagger Lee said to Louis: "Boy, don't you grieve
I'm sending you to Delia you won't ever have to leave? 
The angels laid him away


Chorus 2: [use chorus 1 chords]
The angels laid him away
Buried him six feet under the clay 
The angels laid him away 


Interlude 1: [ C5 - G5 - C5 - F5 ] x2


Verse 3: [use verse 1 chords]
Well the judge was a mean one, called Hanging Billy Lyons 
Said "Well you've always been a bad man, Stag, I'm gonna hang you this time" 
The angels laid him away 

And the jailer said to Stagger Lee, "What's the problem with you?" 
"Jailer, Louis Collins' ghost brought Delia with him too" 
The angels laid him away


Chorus 3: [use chorus 1 chords]
The angels laid him away. 
Buried him six feet under the clay, 
The angels laid him away. 


Interlude 2: [ C5 - F5 - C5 - G5 - C5 - A5 - F5 ] then,
             [ C5 - G5 - C5 ]


Verse 4: [use verse 1 chords]
Well they lay little Delia in the churchyard deep 
Louis Collins at her head, stagger lee at her feet 
The angels laid them away

Out of Louis's bed came briars; out of Delia's came a rose 
Out of Stagger Lee's came Stagger Lee's cold lonely little ghost 
The angels laid them away  

Well I'm looking out on rooftops, and I'm hoping it ain't true 
That the same god who looks out for them looks out for me and you
The angels laid them away 


Chorus 4: [use chorus 1 chords]
The angels laid them away 
Buried them six feet under the clay
The angels laid them away