BEALE STREET MAMA

J Russell Robinson (m) Roy Turk (l)  1922

as rec by Bessie Smith w The Down Home Trio  
Apr 11th 1923 New York

also rec by-
Lucille Hegamin & her Blue Flame Syncopaters '22
The Dixie Daisies '23
Arthur Gibbs & his Gang '23
Ted Lewis & his Band '23
Shufflin' Phil w Ladd's Black Aces '23
Cab Calloway & his Orch '32
Fletcher Henderson & his Orch 
Sophie Tucker


Minnie Neale,
Down in Beale,
Give her papa the air;
Left him cold,
Got him told,
Said she didn't care!
Poor Joe,
Her beau,
Looked just like he would die!
If you were near him,
You would hear him
Start his mournful cry;

Beale Street papa,
Why don't you come back home?
It isn't proper
To leave your mama all alone.

Sometimes I was cruel, that was true,
But papa, you know mama never two-timed you!
Boo hoo, I'm blue!
So hoe come you do me like you do?
I'm cryin'!

Beale Street papa,
Don't mess around with me!
There's plenty pettin' that I can get in Tennessee!
I still get my sweet cookies constantly,
But not the kind you serve to me!
So, Beale Street papa, come back home.

Beale Street papa,
Don't mess around with me!
There's plenty pettin' that I can get in Tennessee!
I bought a rifle, razor and a knife,
A postal card can't save my life!
So, Beale Street papa, come back home.





(Contributed by Peter Akers - May 2009)