Jim Johnson took me home last night,
'Twas the first time that we'd
met,
He claimed to be a small-town sheik,
And all his jive he bet,
He rest his hat and coat and said,
"Here I'll stay."
But his feathers fell when he heard
me say:
Not on the first night, baby!
Ain't knowed you long enough!
Don't you think you're kind of
hasty
To pull that kind of stuff!
Don't slam my front door, please,
when you go out,
Just because there was nothin'
doin' what you was thinkin' about,
Not on the first night, baby!
Or maybe not at all!
Maybe not at all!
[Spoken:]
Now, if Miss Clara Smith would
sing the same song:
Not on the first night, baby!
Sweet Mama Clara ain't knowed you
long enough!
Why, don't you think you're kind
of hasty,
Just to pull that kind of stuff!
Run round the block, hot papa,
and get yourself some air,
This ain't no seaport, daddy, don't
you try to anchor in here!
Because not on the first night,
baby!
Or maybe not at all!
I say, maybe not at all!
[Spoken:]
I'm gettin' ready for the Empress,
Miss Bessie Smith, lord!
Not on the first night, babe!
Ain't knowed you long enough!
Don't you think you kind of hasty
To pull that kind of stuff!
Be yourself, kind mister, that's
no way to act,
Let my doorknob hit you in the
middle of your back!
Not on the first night, baby!
Or maybe not at all!
I said, maybe not at all!
Ethel Waters starred in both the stage and film version of Cabin in the Sky. The movie also starred Lena Horne and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington had minor roles. Waters commented in her remarkable autobiography, His Eye is on the Sparrow, that she didn't enjoy making the movie -- too much behind-the-scenes back-biting.
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