Jasbo Brown Blues 

Da-doo-da wa doo-da o-wa-de-wa

Summertime

Summertime an’ de livin’ is easy, fish are jump-in’, an’ de cotton is high. Oh yo’ daddy’s rich, an’ yo’ ma is good lookin’, so hush, little baby, don’ you cry. One of dese mornin’s you goin’ to rise up singin’. Ooh, den you’ll spread yo’ wings an’ you’ll take the sky. Ooh, but till dat mornin’ dere’s a nothin’ can harm you with Daddy an’ Mammy standin’ by.

A Woman Is a Sometime Thing

What dat chile ain’ asleep yet? Give him to me. I’ll fix him for you.

Listen to yo’ daddy warn you ‘fore you start a-traveling, woman may born you, love you an’ mourn you, but a woman is a sometime thing, yes, a woman is a sometime thing.

Yo’ mammy is the first to name you, an’ she’ll tie you to her apron string. Then she’ll shame you an’ she’ll blame you till yo’ woman comes to claim you, ‘cause a woman is a sometime thing.

Don’ you never let a woman grieve you jus’ ‘cause she got yo’ weddin’ ring. She’ll love you an’ deceive you, then she’ll take yo’ clo’es an’ leave you, ‘cause a woman is a sometime thing.

Yes, a woman is a sometime thing.

There now, what I tells you? He’s asleep already.

Come back, Jake, you make a better crap shooter

Oh little stars

Oh little stars, roll me some light, ‘leven little stars come home, roll dis po’ beggar a sun an’ a moon! Little Joe. Oh no, my brudder, dat ain’ little Joe, dey is de mornin’ an’ de evenin’ stars. An’ jus’ you watch ‘em rise an’ shine fo’ dis po’ beggar.

My man’s gone now

Hmm. Gone.

My man’s gone now, ain’ no use a listnin’ for his tired footsteps climbin’ up de stairs. Ah, Ole Man Sorrow’s come to keep me comp’ny, whisperin’ beside me when I say my prayers. Ah, ain’ dat I min’ workin’, work an’ me is travelers journeyin’ togedder to de Promise’ Lan’. But Ole Man Sorrow’s marchin’ all de way wid me, tellin’ me I’m ole now since I lose my man. Since she lose her man. Ah, Ole Man Sorrow sittin’ by de fireplace, lyin’ all night long by me in de bed. Tellin’ me de same thing mornin’, noon an’ eb’nin’, that I’m all alone now since my man is dead.

Oh, he’s gone.

Leavin’ for the promised land

Oh, the train is at the station an’ you better get on board, ‘cause it’s leavin’ today, an’ it’s headin’ for the Promise’ Lan’. Oh, we’re leavin’ for the Promise’ Lan’. Keep dat drivin’ wheel a rollin’, let it roll until we meet our brudder in the Promise’ Lan’. Oh, I got my ticket ready an’ de time is gettin’ short, ‘cause we’re leavin’ today, an’ we’re headed for the Promise’ Lan’. Oh, we’re leavin’ for the Promise’ Lan’. Keep dat drivin’ wheel a rollin’, let it roll until we meet our brudder in the Promise’ Lan’.

Oh, we’re leavin’ for the Promise’ Lan’ an’ you better get on board, all you sinners, oh, you better get on board, cause we’re leavin’ for the Promise’ Lan’. Keep dat drivin’ wheel a rollin’, let it roll until we meet our brudder in the Promise’ Lan.

It take a long pull to get there

Oh, I’m a goin’ out to de Blackfish banks no matter what de wedder say, an’ when I say I’m goin’ I means goin’, an’ I’m leavin’ at de break o’ day.

If I meet Mister Hurricane an’ Hurricane tell me no, I’ll take ole Mister Hurricane by the pants an’ I’ll throw him in de jailhouse do’.

It take a long pull to get there, huh! But I’ll anchor in de Promise’ Lan’.

An’ Lawdy, blister on my settin’ down place. I got a blister in my han’ but I’m goin’ row dis little boat, trust me Gawd, till I anchor in de Promise’ Lan’. It take a long pull to get there, huh! But I’ll anchor in de Promise’ Lan’.

I got plenty o’ nuttin’ 

Oh, I got plenty o’ nuttin’, an’ nuttin’s plenty fo’ me. I got no car, got no mule, I got no misery. De folks wid plenty o’ plenty got a lock on dey door, ‘fraid somebody’s a goin’ to rob ’em while dey’s out a makin’ more. What for? I got no lock on de door (dat’s no way to be). Dey kin steal de rug from de floor, dat’s okeh wid me, ‘cause de t’ings dat I prize, like de stars in de skies, all are free.

Oh, I got plenty o’ nuttin’, an’ nuttin’s plenty fo’ me. I got my gal, got my song, got Hebben de whole day long. No use in complainin’! Got my gal, got my Lawd, got my song.

Porgy change since dat woman come to live wid he. How he change! He ain’ cross wid chillen no more, an’ ain’ you hear how he an’ Bess all de time singin’ in their room? I tells you dat cripple’s happy now. Happy.

Hm, I got plenty o’ nuttin’, an’ nuttin’s plenty fo’ me. I got de sun, got de moon, got de deep blue sea. De folks wid plenty o’ plenty got to pray all de day. Seem wid plenty you sure got to worry how to keep de debble away. I ain’t a frettin’ ‘bout Hell till de time arrive. Never worry long as I’m well. Never one to strive to be good, to be bad, what de hell, I is glad I’s alive.

Oh, hm, I got plenty o’ nuttin’, an’ nuttin’s plenty fo’ me. I got my gal, got my song, got Hebben de whole day long. No use in complainin’! Got my gal, got his gal, got my Lawd, got his Lawd, got my song!

What you t’ink you doin’? Dat stuff cos’ money.

The buzzard song

Look out, dat’s a buzzard! Drive um off, don’ let um light, chase away dat buzzard! What is it? What’s the matter? Boss, dat bird mean trouble. Once de buzzard fold his wing an’ light over yo’ house, all yo’ happiness done dead.

Buzzard keep on flyin’ over, take along yo’ shadow. Ain’ nobody dead dis mornin’, livin’s jus’ begun. Two is strong where one is feeble; man an’ woman livin’, workin’, sharin’ grief an’ sharin’ laughter, an’ love like Augus’ sun. Trouble, is dat you over yonder lookin’ lean an’ hungry? Don’t you let dat buzzard keep you hangin’ ’roun’ my do’. Ain’ you heard de news dis mornin’? Step out, brudder, hit de gravel; Porgy, who you used to feed on, don’ live here no mo’. Ha, ha! Buzzard, on yo’ way! Ole age, what is you anyhow? Nuttin’ but bein’ lonely. Pack yo’ t’ings an’ fly from here, carry grief an’ pain. Dere’s two folks livin’ in dis shelter, eatin’, sleepin’, singin’, prayin’. Ain’ no such t’ing as loneliness an’ Porgy’s young again.

Buzzard keep on flyin’ Porgy’s young again.

Bess, you is my woman now

Bess you is my woman now, you is! An’ you mus’ laugh an’ sing an’ dance for two instead of one. Want no wrinkle on yo’ brow, no how, because de sorrows of de past is all done. Oh, Bess, my Bess! De real happiness is jes’ begun.

Porgy, I’s yo’ woman now, I is! An’ I ain’ never goin’ nowhere ’less you shares de fun. Dere’s no wrinkle on my brow, no how, but I ain’ goin’! You hear me sayin’, if you ain’ goin’, wid you I’m stayin’. Porgy, I’s yo’ woman now! I’s yours forever, mornin’ time an’ ev’nin’ time an’ summer time an’ winter time. Hm.

Bess you got yo man.

Porgy, I’s yo’ woman now, I is! An’ I ain never goin’ nowhere ’less you shares de fun. Dere’s no wrinkle on my brow, no how, but I ain’ goin’! You hear me sayin’, if you ain’ goin’, wid you I’m stayin’. Porgy I’s yo’ woman now! I’s yours forever, mornin’ time an’ ev’nin’ time an’ summer time an’ winter time.

Bess you is my woman now an’ forever. Dis life is jes’ begun, Bess we two is one now an’ forever. Oh, Bess, don’ min’ dose women. You got yo’ Porgy, you loves yo’ Porgy, I knows you mean it, I seen it in yo’ eyes, Bess. We’ll go swingin’ through de years a singin’.

Hm, mornin’ time an’ ev’nin’ time an’ summer time an’ winter time.

Oh my Porgy, my man Porgy. My Bess, from dis minute I’m tellin’ you, I keep dis vow:

Porgy, I’s yo woman now.

Oh, my Bessie, we’s happy now. We is one now.

Oh, I can’t sit down

Oh, I can’t sit down! Got to keep a-goin’ like de flowin’ of a song. Oh, I can’t sit down! Guess I’ll take my honey an’ her sunny smile along! Today I is gay an’ I’s free, jes’ a bubblin’, nothin’ troublin’ me. Oh, I’s gwine to town. I can’t sit down. Happy feelin’ in my bones a stealin’, no concealin’ dat it’s picnic day. Happy feelin’ comes a stealin’ no concealin’ picnic day. Sho’ is dandy, got de licker handy; me an’ Mandy we is on de way ’cause dis is picnic day.

Oh, I can’t sit down! Got to keep a-jumpin’ to de thumpin’ of de drum! Oh, I can’t sit down! Full of locomotion like an ocean full of rum! Today I is gay an’ I’s free, jes’ a bubblin’, nothin’ troublin’ me. Oh, I’s gwine to town. I can’t, jes’ can’t sit down!

I ain’t got no shame

I ain’ got no shame doin’ what I like to do. Sun ain’ got no shame, moon ain’ got no shame, so I ain’ got no shame doin’ what I like to do. Ha da da. Ah!

It ain’t necessarily so, de t’ings dat yo’ li’ble to read in de Bible, it ain’t necessarily so.

Li’l David was small, but oh my! He fought big Goliath who lay down an’ dieth.

Wadoo, Zim zam boodleoo, Hoodle ah da wa da, Scatty wah. Yeah!

Oh, Jonah, he lived in de whale, fo’ he made his home in dat fish’s abdomen.

Li’l Moses was found in a stream, he floated on water till ole Pharaoh’s daughter she fished him, she says, from dat stream.

Wadoo, Zim zam boodleoo, Hoodle ah da wa da, Scatty wah. Yeah!

It ain’t necessarily so. Dey tell you chillun de debble’s a villun, but ’tain’t necessarily so. To get into Hebben don’ snap fo’ a sebben! Live clean! Don’ have no fault, Oh, I takes dat gospel whenever it’s pos’ble, but wid a grain of salt. Methus’lah lived nine hundred years, but who calls dat livin’ when no gal’ll give in to no man what’s nine hundred years?

I’m preachin’ dis sermon to show it ain’t nessa-, ain’t necessarily so.

Now de Gawd… 

Porgy, Gawd, man! Why yo’ muscle pull up like dat? It make me afraid.

You ain’ got nuttin’ to be afraid of; I ain’ try to keep no woman what don’ wan’ to stay. If you wants to go to Crown, dat’s for you to say.

I loves you, Porgy

I wants to stay here, but I ain’t worthy, you is too decent to understan’, for when I see him he hypnotize me, when he take hol’ of me with his hot han’. Someday, I know he’s comin’ back to call me, he’s goin’ to handle me an’ hol’ me so. It’s goin’ to be like dyin’, Porgy, deep inside me, but when he calls, I know I have to go.

If dere warn’t no Crown, Bess, if dere was only jus’ you an’ Porgy, what den? I loves you, Porgy, don’ let him take me, don’ let him handle me an’ drive me mad. If you kin keep me, I wants to stay here wid you forever, an’ I’d be glad.

There, there, Bess, you don’ need to be afraid no mo’. You’s picked up happiness an’ laid yo’ worries down, you goin’ to live easy, you goin’ to live high, you goin’ to outshine ev’ry woman in dis town. An’ remember, when Crown come dat’s my business. Bess.

I loves you, Porgy, don’ let him take me, don’ let him handle me wid his hot han’. If you kin keep me I wants to stay here wid you forever. I got my man.

What you think I is anyway, to let dat dirty houn’ dog steal my woman? If you wants to stay wid Porgy, you goin’ stay. You got a home now, honey, an’ you got love. So no mo’ cryin’, can’t you understan’? You goin’ to go about yo’ business, singin’ ’cause you got Porgy, you got a man.

There’s a boat that’s leaving soon

There’s a boat dat’s leavin’ soon for New York, come wid me, dat’s where we belong, sister. You an’ me kin live dat high life in New York. Come wid me, there you can’t go wrong, sister. I’ll buy you the swellest mansion upon upper Fi’th Avenue, an’ through Harlem we’ll go struttin’, we’ll go a struttin’ an’ there’ll be nuttin’ too good for you. I’ll dress you in silks an’ satins in the latest Paris styles. All yo’ blues you’ll be forgettin’, there’ll be no frettin. Jus’ nothin’ but smiles. Come along wid me, dat’s de place, don’t be a fool, come along.

There’s a boat dat’s leavin’ soon for New York. Come wid me, dat’s where we belong, sister. Come on, Bess!

Catfish Row interlude

It’s Porgy comin’ home. Thank Gawd! I’s home again. Welcome home, Porgy, we’re all so glad you is back again.

Oh, Bess, where’s my Bess, won’t somebody tell me where? I ain’ care what she say, I ain’ care what she done, won’t somebody tell me where’s my Bess? Bess, Oh, Lawd, My Bess! I want her now, widout her I can’t go on. I counted de days dat I was gone till I got home to see her face. Won’ somebody tell me where’s my Bess? I want her so, my gal, my Bess. Where is she? Oh Gawd in yo’ big Heav’n please show me where I mus’ go, oh give me de strength, show me de way!

She gone, but you very lucky; she gone back to de happy dus’. She done throw Jesus out of her heart. Bess dat kin’ of gal, I tol’ you dat all along. Porgy, you is better off widout dat woman hangin’ ‘roun’ an’ makin’ trouble. She give herself away to de debble. Porgy, you is better off widout dat woman hangin’ ‘roun’; there’s plenty better gals than Bess. Bess is gone. She worse than dead, Porgy, she gone back to de happy dus’, she gone back to de red eye wid him an’ she’s headin’ fo’ Hell. Thank Gawd she’s out of yo’ way.

Dat dirty dog Sportin’ Life make believe dat you lock up forever. He tol’ her dat you would be gone for de rest of yo’ days. Yo’ woman been very low in her min’, she believe ev’rything Sportin’ Life say to her; dat’s how it was. She been very low, yo’ woman misunderstan’, she t’ink you never come back to her; Sportin’ Life fool her, fool yo’ Bess. She is gone. Man, don’ you let it break yo’ heart ‘bout dat gal, we tol’ you all along dat dat woman ain’ worthy of you. She was no good, Porgy, or she’d never go ‘way.

Try forget ‘bout Bess. Tell me de truth, where is she, where is my gal, where is my Bess?

I’m on my way

Oh Lawd, I’m on my way to a Heav’nly Lan’. I’ll ride dat long, long, road, if you are there to guide my han’. Oh Lawd, I’m on my way to a Heav’nly Lan’. Oh Lawd, it’s a long, long way, but you’ll be there to take my han’.