GET UP OFF YOUR KNEES


as rec by Ethel Waters  1929


A triflin' man came home one night
And tiptoed to his door;
To his despair,
His little wifey was there,
Waitin' to lay down the law!

Said she, "I'm through,
I'm really sick of you!
Get out, stay out, and be on your way!".
Well, he dropped down on his knees,
Cried, "Oh please!",
But this is all she had to say;

Get up, get up off your knees, papa,
You can't win me back that way!
Turn in, turn in all your keys, papa,
You really goin' this time, to stay!

I've discovered that you're the worst man in this town,
It's like you're fond of keepin' on goin' lower down!
Get up, get up off your knees, papa,
You can't win me back that way!

Get righty up off your knees, papa,
I'm tellin' ya, you can't win me back that way!
Turn in all your keys, papa,
'Cause I've put you out this time to stay!

You're so blamed crooked here of late,
Looks like it's a hard matter for you to keep your head up straight!
So get up off your knees, papa,
You can't win me back that way!

Anyhow, stand up when you're makin' your pleas,
No use you wearin' out your knees!
I heard someone sayin' right next door,
"Look mighty strange down there on all fours!".

Stop it, down like that,
What in the devil anyhow can you be drivin' at?
So get up and stay up off your knees, papa,
You can't win me back that way,
Besides, it looks suspicious!
And you can't win me back that way!






(Contributed by Peter Akers - February 2010)