[Dixielandjazz] I Want to Be Seduced

[Beth Schweitzer]

And we should not forget Bessie Smith's "Handy Man" as done by the
amazing Jean Kittrell - now there's a woman who knows exactly where the
line is and how to hover just on the edge of it. You can hear it on her
CD with the St. Louis Rivermen called "Band Overboard". 

Cheers,
Beth

Lyrics (Jean's are slightly different than these):
Once I used to brag about my handy man, but I ain't braggin' no more
Somethin' strange has happened to my handy man, he's not the man he was
before
Wish somebody could explain to me, about this dual personality
He don't perform his duties like he used to do, he never hauls the ashes
'less I tell him to
Before he hardly gets to work he says he's through, my handy man ain't
handy no more
He's forgotten his domestic science, and he's lost of his self-reliance
He won't make a single move unless he's told, he says he isn't lazy,
claims he isn't old
But still he sits around and lets my stove get cold, my handy man ain't
handy no more
Time after time, if I'm not right there at his heels, he lets that poor
horse in my stable miss his meals
There's got to be some changes 'cause each day reveals, my handy man
ain't handy no more
He used to turn in early and get up at dawn, and full of new ambitions,
he would trim the lawn
Now, when he isn't sleeping all he does is yawn, my handy man ain't
handy no more
Once he used to have so much endurance, now, it looks like he needs life
insurance
I used to brag about my handy man's technique, around the house he was a
perfect indoor sheik
But now the spirit's willing but the flesh is weak, my handy man ain't
handy no more



-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] I Want to Be Seduced
From: dwlit at cpcug.org


There is indeed a line between naughty / risque and borderline
obscenity.
See how she responds to "Empty bed blues" or "Kitchen man". There are
plenty of entertaining tunes that aren't blue. You have to carefully
judge
your audience. You never know who's in the audience...

--Sheik



> Ok, the lyrics did it. Can some send me a lead sheet to "I Want to Be
> Seduced"?
>
> One of the singers in the band (We all think we're singers) told me
> that she would sing dirty lyrics as long as they were tasteful. She
> refuses to sing "Man of War". I don't get it.
>
> Thanks,
> Mark