Lewis Collins took a trip out west And when he returned little Delia had gone to rest The angels laid her away
Lewis said to Delia that's the sad thing with life there's people always leaving just as other folks arrive the angels laid her away
And when the people heard that Delia was dead all of them gentlemen they dressed in red the angels laid her away
Angels laid her away laid her six feet under the clay the angels laid her away
Lewis went downtown for a new suit of clothes He's gonna dress up for Delia like a fine red rose the angels laid him away
He bought a ten-gallon stetson it was ox-blood red and then Stacker Lee shot Lewis in the back of the head the angels laid him away
Stacker Lee said to Lewis oh now don't you grieve I'm sending you to Delia you won't ever have to leave the angels laid him away
Angels laid him away laid him six feet under the clay the angels laid him away
Oh the judge was a mean one his name was hangin' Billy Lyons He said you've always been a bad man, Stack You're gonna hang this time the angels lay you away
And the jailer said to Stacker Lee What's the problem with you? Oh jailer, Lewis Collins ghost brought Delia's with him too and the angels laid him away
Angels laid him away laid him six feet under the clay the angels laid him away
Well they buried little Delia in the churchyard deep With Lewis Collins at her head Stacker Lee at her feet the angels laid them away
And out of Delia's bed came briars and out of Lewis' bed a rose and out of Stacker Lee's came Stacker Lee's cold lonely little ghost the angels laid them away
And I'm lookin' over rooftops and I'm hopin' that it ain't true that the same God looks out for them looks out for me and you the angels laid them away the angels laid them away the angels laid them away