What You Want Wid Bess? - Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Russell Gracia

BESS

Oh… What you want wid Bess?

She’s gettin' ole now;

Take a fine young gal

For to satisfy Crown

Look at this chest

An' look at these arms you got

You know how it always been with me

These five years I been yo' woman

You could kick me in the street

Then when you wanted me back

You could whistle, an' there I was

Back again, lickin' yo' hand

There’s plenty better lookin' gal than Bess

Can' you see, I’m with Porgy

Now and forever

I am his woman, he would die without me

Oh, Crown, won’t you let me go to my man, to my man

He is a cripple an' needs my love, all my love

What you want wid Bess?

Oh, let me go to my man..

CROWN

What I wants wid other woman

I gots a woman, yes

An' dat is you, yes, dat is you, yes

I need you now an' you’re mine jus' as long as I want you

No cripple goin' take my woman from me

You got a man tonight an' that is Crown, yes, Crown, yes

Crown

You’re my woman, Bess, I’m tellin' you, now I’m your man

(Pressing her very close)

BESS

What you want with Bess?

(Boat whistles)

Lemme go, Crown dat boat, it’s goin' wi out me!

CROWN

You ain’t goin' nowhere!

BESS

(Weakening)

Take yo' hands off me, I say, yo' hands, yo' hands, yo hands

(Crown kisses her passionately)

CROWN

I knows you' ain' change — wid you and me it always be the

Same.

Git in dat thicket

(Bess backs into woods; Crown follows.)