EMPTY BED BLUES  part 1
James C Johnson


Bessie Smith w Charlie Green (trombone) Porter Grainger (piano)     
rec 28/3/28 NY


I woke up this mornin' with an awful achin' head,
I woke up this mornin' with an awful achin' head,
My new man had left me just a room and a empty bed.


Bought me a coffee grinder, got the best one I could find,
Bought me a coffee grinder, got the best one I could find,
So he could grind my coffee 'cause he had a brand new grind.


He's a deep sea diver with a stroke that can't go wrong,
He's a deep sea diver with a stroke that can't go wrong,
He can search the bottom and his wind holds out so long.


He knows how to thrill me and he thrills me night and day,
Lord, he knows how to thrill me and he thrills me night and day,
He's got a new way of lovin', almost takes my breath away.


Lord, he's got that sweet somethin' and I told my girlfriend Lou,
He's got that sweet somethin' and I told my girlfriend Lou,
From the wat she's ravin', she must have gone and tried it too!
Lord, he


EMPTY BED BLUES  part 2
James C Johnson

Bessie Smith w Charlie Green (trombone) Porter Grainger (piano)     
rec 28/3/28 NY


When my bed get empty, make me feel awful mean and blue,
When my bed get empty, make me feel awful mean and blue,
My springs are gettin' rusty, sleepin' single like I do.


Bought him a blanket, pillow for his head at night,
Bought him a blanket, pillow for his head at night,
Then I bought him a mattress so he could lay just right.


He came home one evenin' with his spirit way up high,
He came home one evenin' with his spirit way up high,
What he had to gimme made me wring my hands and cry.


He gimme a lesson that I never had before,
He gimme a lesson that I never had before,
When he got through teachin' me, from my elbows down was sore!


He boiled my first cabbage and he made it awful hot,
He boiled my first cabbage and he made it awful hot,
Then he put in the bacon, it overflowed the pot!


When you got good lovin', never go and spread the news,
Gals will double cross you and leave you with them empty bed blues.







(Contributed by Peter Akers - February 2008)