HARD DRIVIN' PAPA
George Brooks

as rec by Bessie Smith   
May 4th 1926 New York


Lord I wish I could die, 'cause my man treats me like a slave,
Lord I wish I could die, my man treats me like a slave,
As to why he drives me, I'm sinkin' low, Lord, in my grave!

He's a hard drivin' papa, drives me all the time,
Drives me so hard, I'm 'fraid I'll lose my mind,
And when the sun starts sinkin', I start sinkin' into crime!

Lord, I rise in the mornin', dress when the clock strikes four,
I've a clock on one and scrubbin' somebody's floor,
He takes all my money and starts to cry for more!

I'm goin' to the river, feelin' so sad and blue,
I'm goin' to the river, feelin' so sad and blue,
Because I love him, 'cause there's no-one can beat me like he do!





(Contributed by Peter Akers - May 2009)