Transcribed from vocals by Ethel Waters, recorded
8/1921.
From Ethel
Waters 1921 - 1923, The Chronogical Classics, vol. 796.
One-Man Nan, a gal from Alabam,
Never loved but Good Man Sam,
Good Man Sam slipped off the levee
one day;
He fell into the river, then he
faded away;
When One-Man Nan got the news,
She started down the road and sang
these weary blues:
I'm going down to the levee
Where the water's heavy,
Gonna find my good man Sam,
I made a vow when I got him,
That I'd never drop him,
When he was in a jam.
Somebody told of Sam's sinkin',
That's my cup,
It's gonna be my place to pick
him up.
I'm going down to the levee
Where the water's heavy,
Gonna find my good man Sam.
One-Man Nan,
Levee-bound,
Keeps slip-sloppin' on the ground,
Ripped up trees,
Roots and all,
Just like a cannon ball;
She outran her shadow,
Left it far behind,
Got it runnin' sideways
Just to keep from flyin',
Folks for miles round about,
Heard old Nanny shout:
I'm going down to the levee
Where the water's heavy,
Gonna find my good man Sam,
I made a vow when I got him,
That I'd never drop him,
When he was in a jam.
Somebody told of Sam's sinkin',
That's my cup,
It's gonna be my place to pick
him up.
I'm going down to the levee
Where the water's heavy,
Gonna find my good man Sam.
Published 4/25/99.
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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