BARRELHOUSE BESSIE FROM BASIN STREET
(Jule Styne / Herb Magidson)

as recorded by
Anita O'Day & Roy Eldridge
with Gene Krupa & his orchestra
April 2nd 1942 Chicago


[ao'd]
They call her Barrelhouse Bessie from Basin Street,
She used to yodel cadenzas for the social elite;
And then she happened to meet
The kid with the drum and the dixieland beat.

He was a barrelhouse baron from Macon GA,
His name was Muggles McGregor and he wore a toupee.
He taught poor Bessie to care,
But she couldn't swing, so he gave her the air!

He left poor Bessie with a union card
And seven years of unpaid dues,
That's when she gave up her cadenzas
And began to sing the Basin street Blues!

But don't feel sorry for Bessie, she's now on the screen,
Her daddy's collar is ivory and she's rollin' in green! (note - this line correct?)
Poor Bess, the world's at her feet,
Barrelhouse Bessie from Basin Street,
She's doin' alreet!

[re]
They called her Barrelhouse Bessie from Basin Street,
[ao'd]
I'm the gal that met the drummer with the dixieland beat! 

That's the drummer with the dixieland beat!

[re]
He left poor Bessie and never paid his dues,
[ao'd]
Well, how 'bout him!
[re]
That's when she gave up tryin' to sing them blues blues blues!

[ao'd]
But don't feel sorry for Bessie, she's now on the screen,
Her daddy's collar is ivory and she's rollin' in green! (note - this line correct?)
Poor Bess, the world's at her feet,
She's the Barrelhouse Bessie from Basin Street,
Say boy, she's doin' alreet!




(Transcribed by Peter Akers - January 2017)