Transcribed from vocals by Alberta Hunter with
Henderson's Dance Orchestra, recorded February, 1923.
From Alberta
Hunter, Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order, vol. 2, 1923-1924,
Document Records, DOCD-5423.
I know a triflin' man,
They call him Triflin' Sam,
He lives in Birmingham,
'Way down in Alabam,
Now, the other night,
He had a fight
With a gal called Mandy Brim,
She sadly stated, she was aggravated,
And she yelled these words to him:
Aggravating Papa, don't try to two-time
me!
Aggravatin' Papa, treat me kind
or let me be;
Listen while I get you told,
Stop messin' round with my jellyroll,
If I catch you out with your high-brown
baby,
I'll smack you down, and I don't
mean maybe!
Aggravating Papa, I'll do anything
you say,
But when you start to running,
don't you run around my way;
Now, Papa, treat me pretty, nice
and sweet,
'Cause I possess a forty-four that
don't repeat,
So, Aggravatin' Papa, don't try
to two-time me!
Aggravating Papa, don't try to two-time
me!
Aggravatin' Papa, treat me kind
or let me be;
Listen while I get you told,
Stop messin' round with my jellyroll,
If I catch you out with your high-brown
baby,
I'll smack you down, and I don't
mean maybe!
Aggravating Papa, I'll do anything
you say,
But when you start to running,
don't you run around my way;
Got one hand on my razor, one arm
around my gun,
If I catch you foolin' round, I'll
tear your doghouse down,
So, Aggravatin' Papa, don't try
to two-time me!
I know a drivin' man,
They call him Drivin' Sam;
He lives in Birmingham,
Way down in Alabam.
The other night he had a fight
With a gal named Mandy Brim,
And she plainly stated, she was
aggravated,
And she shouted out to him:
Aggravatin' Papa, don't you try
to two-time me!
I said, don't two-time me!
Aggravatin' papa, treat me kind
or let me be;
I said, just let me be;
Listen while I get you told,
Stop messin' round, sweet jellyroll,
And if you step out with that high
brown baby,
I'll put you down, and I don't
mean maybe!
Aggravatin' Papa, I'll do anything
you'll say,
Yes, anything you'll say,
But when you're struttin', please
strut around my way,
I said my way, so papa!
Just treat me pretty, be nice and
sweet,
'Cause I possess a forty-four that
don't repeat;
Aggravatin' Papa, don't you try
to two-time me!
Aggravatin' Papa, I'll do anything
you'll say,
Yes, anything you'll say,
But when you're struttin', please
strut around my way,
I say, so papa!
I got a razor, hear what I say,
I'll cut you any time you come
around my way, [?]
Aggravatin' Papa, don't you two-time
me!
Transcribed from vocals by Bessie Smith, recorded
April 11, 1923.
From Bessie
Smith: 1923; The Chronological Classics 761.
I know a drivin' man,
They call him Driver Sam,
He lives in Birmingham,
Way down in Alabam.
Now, the other night
He had a fight with a gal named
Mandy Brown,
She kept on saying he was aggravatin',
And she shouted out to him:
Aggravatin' Papa, don't you try
to two-time me!
I said, don't two-time me!
Aggravatin' Papa, treat me kind
or let me be,
I mean, just let me be!
It's been awhile, I'll get you
told,
Stop messin' round, sweet jellyroll.
If you stay out with a high-brown
baby,
I'll smack you down, and I don't
mean maybe!
Aggravatin' Papa, I'll do anything
you say,
Anything you say,
But when you go struttin', do your
strut around my way!
So, papa, just treat me pretty,
be nice and kind!
The way you treated me will make
me lose my mind!
Aggravatin' Papa, don't you try
to two-time me!
Just treat me pretty, be nice and
sweet!
I got a darn forty-four that don't
repeat,
Aggravatin' Papa, don't you try
to two-time me!
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Published 9/23/99.
Updated 12/18/99.
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