GIN HOUSE BLUES, THE (Bessie Smith)
Fletcher Henderson (m) Henry Troy (l)  1926

as rec by Bessie Smith w Fletcher Henderson (piano) & Buster Bailey (clarinet)  
March 18th 1926 New York

also rec by Nina Simone  '61  '68

I've got a sad sad story today,
I've got a sad sad story today,
I'm goin' to the gin house when the whistle blows,
My troubles come like rain that's all been poured before!

My man keeps me cryin' all night,
My man keeps me cryin' all night,
I'm goin' to the gin house, sit there by myself,
I mean to drown my sorrows by sweet somebody else!

I've got those worried kind of gin house blues,
I've got those worried kind of gin house blues,
I'll make one trip there to seek to ease my mind,
And if I do I'm gonna make it my last time!

It takes a good smart woman these days,
It takes a good smart woman these days,
To hold her man when these gals have got so many tearful ways;
I mean to watch my man, don't care what these other gals say!

I've got to see the xxxxx man blues,
I've got to see the xxxxx man blues,
Because these gin house blues is campin' 'round my door,
I want to dry them up so they won't come back no more!











(Contributed by Peter Akers - September 2009)