Sorrowful Blues

soundclip

by J.C. Johnson / Bessie Smith
recording of 19
from The Complete Recordings, Vol. 1 (Columbia/Legacy C2K-47091), copyright notice

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 Solomon¹ 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

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Note 1: Solomon, Dorus Sturm suggests "China man" instead of Solomon.