–
Ella Fitzgerald
[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’ wiout 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.)
