A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND
(Eddie Green)
Marion Harris - 1919
Wilbur Sweatman's Original Jazz Band - 1919
Ernest Hare - 1919
Viola McCoy - 1927
Frankie Trumbauer's Orch. (Instr.) - 1927
Bessie Smith - 1927
Ted Lewis & His Band - 1928
Lizzie Miles - 1928
The Original Wolverines (Instr.) - 1928
Milton Brown & His Brownies - 1935
Wingy Manone & His Orch. - 1936
Roy Newman & His Boys (vocal: Earl Brown) - 1936
Louis prima's New Orleans Gang - 1939
Fats Waller & His Rhythm - 1939
Eddie Condon & His Band - 1940
Les Brown & His Orch. (vocal: Butch Stone) - 1942
Al Dexter & His Troopers - 1949
Cass Daley - 1949
Frank Sinatra & Shelley Winters - 1951
George Lewis - 1953
Peggy Lloyd - 1954
Teresa Brewer - 1955
Big Maybelle - 1956
Juanita Hall - 1958
Brenda Lee - 1959
Amanda Ambrose - 1959
Shel Silverstein & The Red Onions - 1959
Helen Humes - 1960
Lola Albright (feat. in the TV series "Peter Gunn") - 1960
Nancy Wilson - 1962
Damita Jo - 1963
Mandy Rice-Davies - 1964
Roy Head - 1967
Also recorded by:
Rosemary Clooney; Champion Jack Dupree; Barbra Streisand; Frances Faye;
Hank Thompson; Carol Channing; Judith Durham; Bob Wills; Alberta Hunter;
Dorothy Loudon; Muggsy Spanier's Dixieland Band; Ronnie Gilbert; Kid Ory;
Sweet Emma Barrett; Asleep At The Wheel ......... and many others.
As recorded by MARION HARRIS, 18th February 1919:
My heart's sad and I am all forlorn
My hubby's treatin' me mean
I regret the day that I was born
And that man of mine I'd ever seen
My happiness, it never lasts a day
My heart is almost breaking while I say
A good man is hard to find, you may get the other kind
Just when you think that he is your pal
You look for him and find him foolin' round some other gal
Then you rave, you even crave to see him layin' in his grave
So, if your hubby's nice, take my advice
And hug him in the mornin', kiss him ev'ry night
Give him plenty lovin', treat him right
For a good man nowadays is hard to find
Yesterday, my heart from care was free
I sang all through the day
Now the blues have overtaken me
Since my lovin' man has gone away
I tried my best to treat him nice and kind
But now these words are running through my mind
A good man is hard to find, you may get the other kind
Just when you think that he is your pal
You look for him and find him foolin' round some other gal
Then you rave, you even crave to see him layin' in his grave
So, if your hubby's nice, take my advice
And watch him in the mornin' to find out where he goes
And take away his money, even lock up all his clothes
'Cause a good man nowadays is hard to find
********************
As recorded by BESSIE SMITH:
My heart is sad and I'm all alone
My man treats me mean
I regret the day that I was born
And that man I ever seen
My happinesses last a day
My heart is broke, that's why I say
Lord, a good man is hard to find
You always get another kind
Just when you think that he's your pal
You look and find him foolin' round some ol' gal
Then you rave, you all crave
You wanta see him down in his grave
So, if your man is nice, take my advice
Hug him in the mornin', kiss him at night
Give him plenty lovin', treat your good man right
For a good man nowadays sure is hard to find
Lord, a good man is so hard to find
We always get that rough ol' kind
Just when you think that he's your pal
You look and find him hangin' round some ol' gal
Then you rave, sure you'll crave
You wanta see him dead, layin' in his grave
So, if your man is nice, take my advice
Hug him in the mornin', kiss him at night
Give him plenty smack madam, treat your man right
'Cause a good man nowadays sure is hard to find
********************
As performed by FRANK SINATRA and SHELLEY WINTERS
in the 1951 film "Meet Danny Wilson":
Now here's a story with quite a moral
And all you gals, you betta pay some mind
When you find a guy (Gal!) worth keepin'
Be satisfied, make sure you treat him very kind
'Cause a good guy (Gal!) is hard to find
You can always get the other kind
(But when you think that you got her tied, you'll find her)
Messin' around with another guy
Then you'll rave and you'll even start to crave
Man, you want to see her lyin' deep down in a grave
So if your guy is nice, you better take my advice
You better love him in the mornin', kiss him every night
Ooh, give him plenty lovin', treat him right
Because a good man nowadays is hard to find
(Buster, you gotta be kiddin)
(You see this little guy, the one with the feeble mind)
(He's always been the keep movin' kind)
(One fine day he dug another chick)
(She took all his loot and really cut him quick)
(Now, he's callin' me back on the phone, he says)
Baby, don't you go away, I'm comin' right home
(But if you wanna come back to my little grass shack)
(You gotta love me in the mornin', kiss me in the night)
(Give me lots of lovin', treat me right)
('Cause a good gal nowadays is hard to find)
Well, I went back, but I told this doll,
I said: Woman, then is then, but now is now,
If you want me to stay, there's just one but (What?)
Keep a smile on your face, and keep your big mouth shut
Well, we're back together, and everything is fine
(I'm a-runnin' the show, Jack, you better stay in line)
(Now you know what to do when the day is through)
I better love you in the AM (That's right!)
Kiss you in the PM (What else?)
Give you plenty lovin' (Show me!) with all my might (Good boy!)
(A good gal nowadays is hard to find)
(Leroy!) Yes, ma'am! (I ain't joshin')
(You keep those ever-lovin' hands off those other dames or I'll...)
Or you'll what? (I'll slide over there and turn off all your lights)
Uh yeah, like I was sayin'
BOTH: A good gal nowadays is hard to find
(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - August 2016)
