Bessie Smith

When it rained five days and the sky turned dark as night
When it rained five days and the sky turned dark as night
Then trouble's takin' place in the lowlands at night

I woke up this mornin', can't even get out of my door
I woke up this mornin', can't even get out of my door
There's enough trouble to make a poor girl wonder where she wanna go

Then they rowed a little boat about five miles cross the pond
Then they rowed a little boat about five miles cross the pond
I packed all my clothes, throwed 'em in and they rowed me along

When it thunders and lightnin' and the wind begins to blow
When it thunders and lightnin' and the wind begins to blow
There's thousands of people ain't got no place to go

And I went and stood up on some high old lonesome hill
And I went and stood up on some high old lonesome hill
Then looked down on the house were I used to live

Backwater blues done called me to pack my things and go
Backwater blues done called me to pack my things and go
'Cause my house fell down and I can't live there no more

Mmm, I can't move no more
Mmm, I can't move no more
There ain't no place for a poor old girl to go

Standin' in the rain and ain't a drop fell on me
Standin' in the rain and ain't a drop fell on me
My clothes is all wet but my flesh is as dry as can be
It can rain all day, I ain't got no place to go
It can rain all day, I ain't got no place to go
Because it's cold outside in that ice and snow

If it rains five days that won't give me no blues
If it rains five days that won't give me no blues
I've got my raincoat and hat, umbrella, boots and shoes
Rain, rain, rain don't rain on me all day
Rain, rain, rain don't rain on me all day
'Cause if I get too wet, I've got to go into the house and stay

Madam Buff's was quite deluxe
Servants by the score
Footmen at each door
Butlers and maids galore

But one day Sam, her kitchen man
Gave in his notice, he's through
She cried, "Oh Sam, don't go
It'll grieve me if you do"

I love his cabbage gravy, his hash
Crazy 'bout his succotash
I can't do without my kitchen man

Wild about his turnip top
Like the way he warms my chop
I can't do without my kitchen man

Anybody else can leave
And I would only laugh
But he means too much to me
And you ain't heard the half

Oh, his jelly roll is so nice and hot
Never fails to touch the spot
I can't do without my kitchen man

His frankfurters are oh so sweet
How I like his sausage meat
I can't do without my kitchen man

Oh, how that boy can open clam
No one else is can touch my ham
I can't do without my kitchen man

When I eat his doughnuts
All I leave is the hole
Any time he wants to
Why, he can use my sugar bowl

Oh, his baloney's really worth a try
Never fails to satisfy
I can't do without my kitchen man

How come I'm blue as can be, how come I need sympathy
I know what's troubling me, listen and you'll see?
Because the good man that I got, left me all alone
Woke up this morning at four, when I heard him slamming my door
Did you ever wake up on a frosty morning and discover your good man gone
Did you ever wake up on a frosty morning and discover your good man gone
If you did you'll understand, why I'm singing sad moanful songs
Well, he didn't provide and he wasn't handsome, so he might not appeal to you?
Well, he didn't provide and he wasn't handsome, so he might not appeal to you
But he gave me plenty loving and I never had to beg him too?
Now my damper is down and my fire ain't burning and a chill's all around my bed
My damper is down and my fire ain't burning and a chill's all around my bed?
When you lose the man you love, then a gal is just as good as dead

Don't bring no ghosts in the front, hurry 'em round to the backdoor!?
This house is so haunted with dead men I can't lose?
This house is so haunted with dead men I can't lose
And a sneaky old feeling gives me those haunted house blues
I can't sleep no more, I done lost my appetite
I can't sleep no more, done lost my appetite
'Cause my mistreating daddy hangs around me day and night?
He moans when I'm sleeping, he wakes me at 2 a.m.?
He moans when I'm sleeping, he wakes me at 2 a.m.?
And he makes me swear I'll have no other man but him?
Now I'm so worried and I'm blue all the time?
Now I'm so worried and I'm blue all the time?
Go tell the undertaker to fix that old coffin of mine
Lord, help us to get right!
I'm scared to stay here, I'm scared to leave this town
I'm scared to stay here, I'm scared to leave this town?
But a feeling just tells me to burn this house on down?
Tear this house on down

Love, oh love, oh careless love
You've fly through my head like wine
You've wrecked the life of a many poor girl
And you nearly spoiled this life of mine

Love, oh love, oh careless love
In your clutches of desire
You've made me break a many true vow
Then you set my very soul on fire

Love, oh love, oh careless love
All my happiness bereft
You've filled my heart with weary old blues
Now I'm walkin', talkin' to myself

Love, oh love, oh careless love
Trusted you now, it's too late
You've made me throw my old friend down
That's why I sing this song of hate

Love, oh love, oh careless love
Night and day, I weep and moan
You brought the wrong man into this life of mine
For my sins, till judgment I'll atone

Gee, but it's hard to love someone
When that someone don't love you
I'm so disgusted, heartbroken, too
I've got those down hearted blues

Once I was crazy 'bout a man
He mistreated me all the time
The next man I get has got
To promise to be mine, all mine

Trouble, trouble, I've had it all my days
Trouble, trouble, I've had it all my days
It seems that trouble's going to follow me to my grave

I ain't never loved but three men in my life
I ain't never loved but three men in my life
My Father, my brother and the man that wrecked my life

It may be a week, it may be a month or two
It may be a week, it may be a month or two
But the day you quit me honey, it's coming home to you

I got the world in a jug, the stopper's in my hand
I got the world in a jug, the stopper's in my hand
I'm going to hold it until you didn't come under my command

I know a triflin' man
They call him Triflin' Sam
He lives in Birmingham
Way down in Alabam'

Now the other night
He had a fight
With a gal named Mandy Brown
She plainly stated
She was aggravated
And she shouted out to him

Aggravatin' papa, don't you try to two-time me
I said, don't two-time me
Aggravatin' papa, treat me kind or let me be
I mean, just let me be

It's been a while, I'll get you told
Stop messin' round, sweet jellyroll
If you stay out with a high-brown baby
I'll smack you down, and I don't mean maybe

Aggravatin' papa, I'll do anything you say
Anything you say
But when you go struttin', do your strut around my way
So papa, just treat me pretty, be nice and kind
The way you treated me will make me lose my mind
Aggravatin' papa, don't you try to two-time me

Just treat me pretty, be nice and sweet
I got a darn forty-four that don't repeat
Aggravatin' papa, don't you try to two-time me

Lord, this house is goin' to get raided, yes, sir

Thirty days in jail with my back turned to the wall, turned to the wall
Thirty days in jail with my back turned to the wall
Look here, Mr. Jail-keeper, put another gal in my stall

I don't mind bein' in jail, but I got to stay there so long, so long
I don't mind bein' in jail, but I got to stay there so long, so long
When every friend I have is done shook hands and gone

You better stop your man from tickling me under my chin, under my chin
You better stop your man from tickling me under my chin
'Cause if he keeps on tickling, I'm sure gonna take him on in

Good morning, blues, blues, how do you do? How do you do?
Good morning, blues, blues, how do you do?
Say, I just come here to have a few words with you

Tillie Brown was a dancing fool?
Spent her time in a dancing school?
When the band would play
Tillie would start right in to sway
First one out on the ballroom floor?
She never got enough, she just craved for more?
When she start to sway?
All the girls and boys would say?
Whoa, Tillie, take your time
Whoa, Tillie, take your time
There ain't no use to hurrying 'cause you wanna prance
You've got all night to do that dance
Whoa, Tillie, lay 'em down?
Whoa, Tillie Brown?
You don't know what to shake?
When you shake?
What to break
Whoa, Tillie, take your time
Whoa, Tillie, take your time
Whoa, Tillie, take your time?
There ain't no use to hurrying 'cause you wanna prance?
Look out there, Tillie, you got all night to do that dance
Whoa, Tillie, lay 'em down?Whoa, Tillie, Tillie Brown?
You don't know what to shake?When you shake
What to break?
Whoa, Tillie, take your time

I've got a lovesick tale to tell to you?
Though it ain't no affair of mine
It's 'bout a gal named Sue and a boy named Lou?
They were fighting all the time
Sue came home one afternoon
And found an empty dining room?
Without a word her turtledove had flown
She began to moan?
My sweetie went away but he didn't say where?
He didn't say when, he didn't say why?
Oh, bid me goodbye?
I'm blue as I can be?I know he loved another one but he didn't say who
He didn't say when, he didn't say what?
His mama has got?
That took my sweetie from me
I'm like a little lost sheep?
And I can't sleep
But I keep trying to forget?
My trifling papa has left his mama all alone, I groan?
My sweetie went away but he didn't say where
He didn't say when, he didn't say why
I know I'll die?
Why don't he hurry home

My man ain't acting right, he stays out late at night?
And still he says he loves no one but me?
But if I find that gal, that tries to steal my pal
I'll get her told, just you wait and see?I feel blue, I don't know what to do
Every woman in my fix is bound to feel blue too, 'cause?I love my man better than I love myself
Lord, I love my man better than I love myself
And if he don't have me, he won't have nobody else?
My man's got teeth like a lighthouse on the sea?
My man's got teeth like a lighthouse on the sea?
And ev'rytime he smiles he throws them lights on me
His voice sounds like chimes, I mean the organ kind
His voice sounds like chimes, I mean the organ kind
And ev'rytime he speaks his music ease my troubling mind

Late last night, I sold away and cried
Late last night, I sold away and cried
Had the blues for Chicago, I just can't be satisfied

Blues on my brain, my tongue refused to talk
Blues on my brain, my tongue refused to talk
I was followin' my daddy but my feet refuses to walk

Mean old fireman, cruel old engineer
Lord mean old fireman, cruel old engineer
You took my man and left his mama standing here

Big red headline, tomorrow Defender news
Big red headline, tomorrow Defender news
"Woman dead down home, these old Chicago blues"
I said blues

Don't bring no ghosts in the front, hurry 'em round to the backdoor!?
This house is so haunted with dead men I can't lose?
This house is so haunted with dead men I can't lose
And a sneaky old feeling gives me those haunted house blues
I can't sleep no more, I done lost my appetite
I can't sleep no more, done lost my appetite
'Cause my mistreating daddy hangs around me day and night?
He moans when I'm sleeping, he wakes me at 2 a.m.?
He moans when I'm sleeping, he wakes me at 2 a.m.?
And he makes me swear I'll have no other man but him?
Now I'm so worried and I'm blue all the time?
Now I'm so worried and I'm blue all the time?
Go tell the undertaker to fix that old coffin of mine
Lord, help us to get right!
I'm scared to stay here, I'm scared to leave this town
I'm scared to stay here, I'm scared to leave this town?
But a feeling just tells me to burn this house on down?
Tear this house on down

Some folks the're always crying
Crying their mean old blues
Not Me, you never even see me frown.
Some folks just walk around tryin'
Tryin' hard love to loose,
But I felt let it come the better let it burn
I'm the happiest gal in the town

Easy come easy go
Nothing ever worries me,
Care for none, eyes of stone
Don't know misery.

If my man be trouble, Or if he don't
I'll get someone to love me anytime you want
Easy come easy go
Right from my head to my shoes
Don't wanna be no skinny vamp or nothing like that
Daddy always knows just where his sweet Mama's at
I'm overflowin' with those easy come, easy go blues.

He'll swallows me up, when he's lovin; hear what I've said
Believe me I go out to lick him 'most everyday
I'm overflowin' with those easy come, easy go blues.

If you catch me stealin', I don't mean no harm
If you catch me stealin', I don't mean no harm
It's a mark in my family and it must be carryin' on
I got nineteen men and won't want more
I got nineteen men and won't want more
If I had one more I'd let that nineteen go
It's hard to love another woman's man
It's hard to love another woman's man
You catch him when you want him, you got to catch him when you can
Have you ever seen a peaches grow on sweet potato vine??
Have you ever seen a peaches grow on sweet potato vine ??
Just step in my backyard and take a peep at mine
I'm gonna tell you, daddy, like Solomon ?told the Jew
I'm gonna tell you, daddy, like Solomon told the Jew
If you don't like-ee me, I sure don't like-ee you

Hey boweavil, don't sing them blues no more
Hey boweavil, don't sing them blues no more
Boweavil's here, boweavil's everywhere you go

I'm a lone boweavil, been out a great long time
I'm a lone boweavil, been out a great long time
For to sing this song, to ease boweavil's troublin' mind

I don't want no sugar, put into my tea
I don't want no sugar, put into my tea
The mens are so evil, I'm scared they might poison me

I went down town
I bought myself a hat
I brought it back home
I laid it on the shelf
I looked in my bedroom
Tired sleepin' by myself
I'm tired sleepin' by myself

Stop rollin' them bones & listen to me;

I had a gamblin' man
he's hard to understand
he just give me worries and goin' around
he was scheming to his dice
couldn't give him no advice
he followed the deal on down

he was a gambler
i mean he was a gambler
and he'd always lay his money down
if he win or if he lose
he would never sing the blues
he followed the deal on down

he took sick the other day
and his bills i had to pay
none of his good friends could be found
not a penny to his name
of course he's not to blame
lord, he followed the deal on down

he was a gambler
yes he was a gambler
and he would always go from town to town
gamblin' life he'd crave
it lays a poor boy in his grave
he followed the deal on down

I hate to see de evenin' sun go down,
Hate to see de evenin' sun go down
'Cause ma baby, he done lef' dis town.
Feelin' tomorrow like I feel today,
Feel tomorrow like I feel today,
I'll pack my trunk, make ma git away.

Saint Louis woman wid her diamon' rings
Pulls dat man 'roun' by her apron strings.
'Twant for powder an' for store-bought hair,
De man ah love would not gone nowhere, nowhere.
Got de Saint Louis Blues jes as blue as ah can be.
That man got a heart lak a rock cast in the sea.

Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me. Doggone it!
I loves day man lak a schoolboy loves his pie,
Lak a Kentucky Col'nel loves his mint an' rye.
I'll love ma baby till the day ah die.

Been to de gypsy to get ma fortune tole,
To de gypsy, done got ma fortune tole,
Cause I'm most wile 'bout ma Jelly Roll.
Gypsy done tole me, "Don't you wear no black."
Yes, she done told me, "Don't you wear no black.

Go to Saint Louis, you can win him back."
Help me to Cairo, make Saint Louis by maself,
Git to Cairo, find ma old friend Jeff,
Gwine to pin maself close to his side;
If ah flag his train, I sho' can ride.
Got de Saint Louis Blues jes as blue as ah can be.
That man got a heart lak a rock cast in the sea.

Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me. Doggone it!
I loves day man lak a schoolboy loves his pie,
Lak a Kentucky Colonel loves his mint an' rye.
I'll love ma baby till the day I die.

You ought to see dat stovepipe brown of mine,
Lak he owns de Dimon' Joseph line,
He'd make a cross-eyed o'man go stone blin'.
Blacker than midnight, teeth lak flags of truce,
Blackest man in de whole of Saint Louis,
Blacker de berry, sweeter am de juice.
About a crap game, he knows a pow'ful lot,
But when worktime comes, he's on de dot.
Gwine to ask him for a cold ten-spot,
What it takes to git it, he's cert'nly got.

Got de Saint Louis Blues jes as blue as ah can be.
Dat man got a heart lak a rock cast in the sea.
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me. Doggone it!
I loves day man lak a schoolboy loves his pie,
Lak a Kentucky Col'nel loves his mint an' rye.
I'll love ma baby till the day ah die.

A black-headed gal makes a freight train jump the track, said a black-headed
Gal makes a freight train jump the track,
But a long tall gal makes a preacher ball the jack.

Lawd, a blonde-headed woman makes a good man leave the town, I said
Blonde-headed woman makes a good man leave the town,
But a red-headed woman makes a boy slap his papa down.

Oh, ashes to ashes and dust to dust, I said ashes to ashes and dust to dust,
If my blues don't get you, my jazzing must.