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

What You Want Wid Bess?

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.)