GIMME A PIGFOOT (AND A BOTTLE OF BEER)
(Wesley Wilson)

Bessie Smith - 1933
Frankie "Half-Pint" Jaxon - 1940
Billie Holiday - 1949
Juanita Hall - 1957
LaVern Baker - 1958
Nina Simone - 1966
Diana Ross - 1972
Cleo Laine - 1973
Teresa Brewer & Count Basie - 1973
Angela Brown - 1987

Also recorded by: Judith Durham; Champion Jack Dupree;
Bobby Short; Abbey Lincoln: .............. and others.


SPOKEN: Twenty-five cents, hah, no, no
I wouldn't pay twenty-five cents to go in nowhere
'Cause listen here.....

Up in Harlem ev'ry Saturday night
When the highbrows get together its just too tight
They all congregates at an all night strut
And what they do is tut-tut-tut

Old Hannah Brown from 'cross town
Gets full of corn and starts breakin' 'em down
Just at the break of day
You can hear old Hannah say

Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer
Send me 'gain, I don't care
I feel just like I wanna clown
Give the piano player a drink
Because he's bringin' me down!
He's gotta rhythm, Y-e-e-a-a-h!
When he stomps his feet
He sends me right off to sleep
Check all your razors and your guns
We gonna be 'rested when the wagon comes
I wanna pigfoot and a bottle of beer
Send me 'cause I don't care
Play me 'cause I don't care

(Trumpet Solo)

Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer
Send me 'gain, I don't care
I feel just like I wanna clown
Give the piano player a drink
Because he's bringin' me down
He's got rhythm, Y-e-e-a-a-h!
When he stomps his feet
He sends me right off to sleep
Check all your razors and your guns
Do the shim-sham-shimmy 'til the risin' sun
Give me a reefer and a gang o' gin
Play me 'cause I'm in my sin
Play me 'cause I'm full of gin


(Transcribed from the Bessie Smith recording
by Mel Priddle - September 2005)


*****


GIMME A PIGFOOT (AND A BOTTLE OF BEER)
(Wesley Wilson)

Nina Simone - 1959


Up in Harlem on a Saturday night
Were the highbrows get together, it's just to tight
We all gather at the Harlem Strut
And what we do is tut tut tut

Ol' Hannah Brown, from way cross town
Keeps drinking her liquor and she brings them down
Just at the break of day
You could hear old Hannah say

I wanna pigfoot and a bottle of beer
Send me daddy, cos I don't care
I feel just like I wanna clown
Give the piano player a drink
Cause he brought me down

He just send me right off to sleep
Check all your razors and your guns
I'm gonna be arrested when the wagon comes

I wanna pigfoot and a bottle of beer
Send me cos I don't care oh no
Send me cos I don't care

I wanna pigfoot and a bottle of beer
Send me daddy, cos I don't care
I feel just like I wanna clown
Give the piano player a drink
Cause he brought me down

He's got rhythm when he stomps his feet
He moves me right off to sleep
Check all your razors check your guns
I'm gonna be arrested when the wagon comes

I wanna pigfoot and a bottle of beer
Send me cos I don't care oh no
Send me cos I don't care


(Contributed by Sören Sjögren - June 2004)


*****