Note: This is Josh Ritter's arrangement of this traditional song, other
arrangements of this song may exist by other performers.
Standard Tuning
Chords used:
EADGBe
Am: 002210
C: 032010
C/G:020010
F: 133211
G: 320033
Intro: C
Verse 1 chords:
[C]Well, Louis Collins took a trip out west
And when he returned, well, Delia had [F]gone to rest
The [C]angels [G]laid her [C]away
[C]Louis said to Delia, "That's the problem with life
People are always leaving just as [F]other folks arrive"
The [C]angels [G]laid her [C]away
And when the p[C]eople heard that Delia was dead
And all of them gentlemen were [F]dressed in red
The [C]angels [G]laid her [C]away
Chorus 1 chords:
The [C]angels [F]laid her [C]away
[C]Buried her [C/G]six feet un[F]der the clay
The [C]angels l[G]aid her [C]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: [C] [-] [G] [-] [C] [-] [F] 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: [C] [-] [F] [-] [C] [-] [G] [-] [C] [-] [Am] [-] [F] then,
[C] [-] [G] [-] [C]
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
arrangements of this song may exist by other performers.
Standard Tuning
Chords used:
EADGBe
Am: 002210
C: 032010
C/G:020010
F: 133211
G: 320033
Intro: C
Verse 1 chords:
[C]Well, Louis Collins took a trip out west
And when he returned, well, Delia had [F]gone to rest
The [C]angels [G]laid her [C]away
[C]Louis said to Delia, "That's the problem with life
People are always leaving just as [F]other folks arrive"
The [C]angels [G]laid her [C]away
And when the p[C]eople heard that Delia was dead
And all of them gentlemen were [F]dressed in red
The [C]angels [G]laid her [C]away
Chorus 1 chords:
The [C]angels [F]laid her [C]away
[C]Buried her [C/G]six feet un[F]der the clay
The [C]angels l[G]aid her [C]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: [C] [-] [G] [-] [C] [-] [F] 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: [C] [-] [F] [-] [C] [-] [G] [-] [C] [-] [Am] [-] [F] then,
[C] [-] [G] [-] [C]
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
