COMPLAININ'
Luckey Roberts / Rogers

as recorded by Sophie Tucker  1922


I ain't ever gonna never
Fall into love no more;
Now or never and for ever,
Love 'em and let 'em go!
They all are smart
And act the part,
I'm tellin' you what I know,
But once they start
And whip your heart,
You're never the same no more!

Every minute you're complainin',
And youn ain't ashame',
Complain so much, "Complainin'"
Is your nickname!
The very keenest pleasure,
It causes pain,
Of health you've got your measure,
And still complain!

Why, even gold brown fried chicken has lost its class,
Don't make a bit of difference if the dice don't cast!
Sweet music's like a toothache, and causes the same kind of pain,
It's human nature to complain,
I know!

You grieve and pout
And mope about,
You're lovin' somebody who,
And then find out
Without a doubt
Somebody ain't lovin' you!

I don't think life
Is worth the strife;
There's times when I'd like to try
To take a knife
And end my life,
If I didn't have to die!

'Cause complainin', that ain't knowin',
But I must say
If I knowed where I's goin',
I'm on my way!
I'd pack up all my worry
And I'd leave here,
I'd leap right into glory
Without a fear!

But there's a mighty old old story,
And it's a fact,
Nobody's been to glory
And then come back!
So I'll stay here and worry
And keep on affairing my tale;
It's human nature to complain,
I know!

I'd like to know
Where I could go
To some big unconscious state,
Leave off my cares
Just like the bears
All do when they hibernate!
I hear some folks
Keep telling jokes
'Bout love bringing ecstasy,
With gentle strokes
To other folks;
It pretty nye ruined me!

Gonna keep right on complainin',
Complain I must!
No way to stop complainin'
When you're hard bust!
My life is all confusion
Without a doubt,
But I've reached this conclusion,
I've figured out
That runnin', ridin', walkin', crawlin',
Though I'm a wreck
If daddy starts a-callin',
I'll break my neck
Right back to daddy darlin';
I'm a glutton for punishment,
It's human nature to complain, that's all!



(Transcribed by Peter Akers - March 2013)