In Popular Culture
Further information: Stagger Lee (song)- In 1928, Mississippi John Hurt published the song "Stagolee", in which he depicts the tale of Stagger Lee Shelton and William Lyons.
- In his book, Black Folk Tales, Julius Lester includes an updated version called "Stagger Lee" which reworks the story with Lee as a larger than life Trickster.
- Stagg R. Leigh is the assumed name under which Thelonious Ellison, the protagonist of Percival Everett's novel Erasure (2001) writes his parody of blaxploitation literature My Pafology.
- Stagger Lee, a graphic novel telling the story and a fictionalized version of it with political themes, was published by Image Comics in May 2006, written by Derek McCulloch and drawn by Shepherd Hendrix (ISBN 1582406073).
- Folk artist Josh Ritter tells the story of Stagger Lee in the track Folk Bloodbath on his 2010 album So Runs the World Away.
- The Black Keys song Stack Shot Billy from the album Rubber Factory is based on Stagger Lee and Billy Lyons.
- The Clash's 1979 album London Calling includes a cover of the song "Wrong 'Em Boyo" by the Jamaican rocksteady group the Rulers, in which Stagger Lee is explicitly the hero and Billy the villain.
- Nick Cave provides a graphic rendition of the viciousness of Lee Shelton in his song "Stagger Lee" off the 1996 album Murder Ballads
- The American blackwave band Lost Sounds mention Stagger Lee in their song "Energy drink & the Long walk home" at the line "I just keep on running, like/I'm Stagger Lee(...)".
- Eric Newman, better known by his stage name Stagga Lee, is an American rapper from Yonkers, New York.
- The Grateful Dead recorded a version of "Stagger Lee" on their 1978 album Shakedown Street, and performed the song live at many concerts
- Blues guitarist and singer Mississippi John Hurt also has recorded versions of the tale of Stagger Lee
- Modern Life is War, a hardcore band from Iowa has their own rendition of Stagger Lee.
- In the 2007 film Black Snake Moan, Samuel L. Jackson's character sings a boastful version of the song from Stagger Lee's perspective, titled "Stackolee". This version is based on R. L. Burnside's rendition which can be heard on the album Well, Well, Well.
Read more about this topic: Stagger Lee Shelton
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