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Or nothing I can say
That folks don't criticize me
But I'm going to do
Just as I want to anyway
And don't care just what people say
If I should take a notion
To jump into the ocean
Ain't nobody's business if I do
If I go to church on Sunday
Then cabaret all day Monday
Ain't nobody's business if I do
If my man ain't got no money
And I say "take all mine, honey"
Ain't nobody's business if I do
If I give him my last nickel
And it leaves me in a pickle
Ain't nobody's business if I do
But I'd rather my man would hit me
Than for him to jump up and quit me
Ain't nobody's business if I do
I swear I won't call no copper
If I'm beat up by my papa
Ain't nobody's business if I do
Nobody's business
Ain't nobody's business
Nobody's business if I do
I know I’m supposed to love Billie Holiday. Not that I have no sympathy for her hard life or appreciation for all she achieved in spite of it, but her musical style is not my cup of tea.
Everybody has different tastes. Thank You for being polite in your comment!
The fact that this is a Billie Holiday song from 1947 does not make the lyrics less disturbing.
What was that Michelle Shocked song about domestic abuse? This one reminds me of it.
Check out her life story and you will know why the lady has a right to sing the blues! Sure is sad she sings its OK to beat up on women, "will not call the cops"! I say call the S.O.B. on his ugly misogyny!
Turns out domestic violence is a lot more common than most think. And calling the cops and leaving is also a lot more difficult than you might think. It's easy to judge when you have the freedom and financial means to pull off your exit plan.
Such a strange blend of female empowerment and acceptance of domestic violence. Basically, "if my man hits me and I choose to do nothing about it, that's MY business, not yours".
Yes.
A couple days later, she was stopped by an off-duty sheriff's deputy as she was going into a restaurant. The deputy identified himself and asked how the injury occurred. He assured her that he would provide protection if... My sister-in-law assured the good public servant that it was a hockey injury and not a case of domestic abuse, and they went their separate ways.
Even though it involved my brother, I'm glad the deputy asked.
No tolerance.
I guess I'm pretty comfortable with everything... "You keep your finger on the script, that way you don't lose your place, see..." the place referred to being the emptiness of form. It's all art, ain't it!
Much of these lyrics were added by Bessie Smith in her 1923 version. As noted earlier, it is about history and context: a singer in character, being flippant — not a condoning of domestic violence - obviously, by today's standards, it is nothing to be flippant about. It's all too easy to judge the past by today's conventions - it's called "presentism". I hear these lyrics as a story, not an endorsement. Maybe that's just the way I hear it, but I've heard many versions of this song over the years, so maybe I don't hear or think about the lyrics the same way as someone who's heard them for the first time.
Agree and I hope it was in now way reflective of her life...
i think you mean not reflective of her opinion. I would hope that too. ...most certainly she lived thru more hell than even this song depicts.
Agree and I hope it was in now way reflective of her life...
Sad that's the way it was but historical context is important. She is amazing
Agree and I hope it was in now way reflective of her life...
But I'd rather my man would hit me
Than for him to jump up and quit me
Ain't nobody's business if I do
I swear I won't call no copper
If I'm beat up by my papa
Ain't nobody's business if I do
Although the song was not written by Billie, sadly these lyrics do reflect her tragic life.
No kidding! I love Billie Holliday but the lyrics are definitely disturbing.
Everybody in my mushrooming multitude of churches believes this song is good for the ears...
But he didn't have much of a rein on his temper, he got wildeyed, so for my dad to hit the kids, hard - was certainly a possibility.
Wow... never listened to those lyrics before...
Next time my dad complains about obscenity in today's music, I'll have him listen to this.
maybe it was meant to be ironic?
Than follow him to jump up and quit me
Ain't nobody's business if I do
I swear I won't call no copper
If I'm beat up by my papa
Ain't nobody's business if I do
Hmmm...sounds like it should be somebody's business if she do.
Wow... never listened to those lyrics before...
Next time my dad complains about obscenity in today's music, I'll have him listen to this.
Than follow him to jump up and quit me
Ain't nobody's business if I do
I swear I won't call no copper
If I'm beat up by my papa
Ain't nobody's business if I do
Hmmm...sounds like it should be somebody's business if she do.
This song is terrifying. Billie was seriously messed up.
Than follow him to jump up and quit me
Ain't nobody's business if I do
I swear I won't call no copper
If I'm beat up by my papa
Ain't nobody's business if I do
Hmmm...sounds like it should be somebody's business if she do.
many things but cute and romantic? Really?
Distinctive voice, way of singing, Great Singer... Play more... Thank you
what he/she said
Curses, David Sedaris! Now, whenever I hear Billie Holiday, I think of Crumpet, the Christmas elf, singing Silent Night as Billie would! Oh, heck!
I'm sorry to say that now when I hear Billie Holliday, I think of David Sedaris!
Okay, but in fifty years, Ms. Holiday will still be played, and people will say 'David who?'
I'm sorry to say that now when I hear Billie Holliday, I think of David Sedaris!
Unfortunately, in talking with her the other day, I hadn't a ready recording, nor was there any sheet music available. So it's understandable Mom doesn't recall the words to this right off hand, especially since Billy Holiday was known for varying lyrics and arrangements almost at whim. ("No two people on earth are alike, and it's got to be that way in music or it isn't music.") Also, Mom never saw her perform and is likely remembering her from radio broadcasts, done live in those days. And exactly which set of lyrics are we hearing here on RP, anyway? Which recordings survived?
After all these years, my mother's impression about this song still coincides with what she related to me when I was young: that Lady Day was an independent sort of woman, cut according to no one's mold. Speaking of this particular song, she said something which may or may not actually be true. "She {Ms. Holiday} would go out to night clubs in New York City and draw attention to herself. People {other patrons} didn't like her men friends. Maybe they were poor or roughneck or something. That's why she said 'tain't nobody's business even IF I do.'" (Mom added the "even if" part.) This is reflected in the lead-in, which I suppose has stuck with her most prominently:
There ain't nothing I can do
Or nothing I can say
That folks don't criticize me.
And then on about an "independent sort of woman":
But I'm going to do just as I want to anyway
And don't care what people say.
Regarding Mom's comments on the "men friends":
If my man ain't got no money
And I say, "Take all of mine, honey" . . .
or
If I give him my last nickel
And it leaves me in a pickle . . .
I remember times when Mom herself even used a paraphrasing of one line to express her own idea of throwing something back in the face of an encroacher of her personal freedom:
If I should take a notion
To jump into the ocean . . .
Remember, this is just the impression of a listener of the day — one who never really put much significance into the last stanza and rather clued in on the earlier ones — an old woman who "hasn't heard that song in umpteen years" (Mom's words again).
Now for the son's modern take on the specific lyrics in question:
As is often true yet today, a partner indeed might prefer to endure temporary or sporadic physical (or psychological) abuse over dealing with the permanence of a separation. Is it wrong to sing about true-to-life situations? Should artists, for the sake of delicate ears, serve up watered down reality? Should we stop listening?
Beautiful post Lester-thank you so much
Hi There-pick up a copy of Billie Holiday's greatest hits on the Verve label and get back to me-I have a feeling you'll be a changed man
EDIT: This is in response to my post two below.
My Mom and her buddies would have a party every time "Lady Day" got out of jail-she is a classic!!
It will be a very long time before I can adequately formulate/articulate my feelings about the lyrics, however. My thoughts are, to say the least, provoked.
oh yeah!
Just sayin...
Black tie and all.
Better go back to the 30s. Billie died in 1959 and was pretty tired by the late 40s. You can hear it in her voice in her later recordings. Go back to the Golden Age of the 30s and revel in the greatness...
lester wrote:
Unfortunately, in talking with her the other day, I hadn't a ready recording, nor was there any sheet music available. So it's understandable Mom doesn't recall the words to this right off hand, especially since Billy Holiday was known for varying lyrics and arrangements almost at whim. ("No two people on earth are alike, and it's got to be that way in music or it isn't music.") Also, Mom never saw her perform and is likely remembering her from radio broadcasts, done live in those days. And exactly which set of lyrics are we hearing here on RP, anyway? Which recordings survived?
After all these years, my mother's impression about this song still coincides with what she related to me when I was young: that Lady Day was an independent sort of woman, cut according to no one's mold. Speaking of this particular song, she said something which may or may not actually be true. "She {Ms. Holiday} would go out to night clubs in New York City and draw attention to herself. People {other patrons} didn't like her men friends. Maybe they were poor or roughneck or something. That's why she said 'tain't nobody's business even IF I do.'" (Mom added the "even if" part.) This is reflected in the lead-in, which I suppose has stuck with her most prominently:
There ain't nothing I can do
Or nothing I can say
That folks don't criticize me.
And then on about an "independent sort of woman":
But I'm going to do just as I want to anyway
And don't care what people say.
Regarding Mom's comments on the "men friends":
If my man ain't got no money
And I say, "Take all of mine, honey" . . .
or
If I give him my last nickel
And it leaves me in a pickle . . .
I remember times when Mom herself even used a paraphrasing of one line to express her own idea of throwing something back in the face of an encroacher of her personal freedom:
If I should take a notion
To jump into the ocean . . .
Remember, this is just the impression of a listener of the day — one who never really put much significance into the last stanza and rather clued in on the earlier ones — an old woman who "hasn't heard that song in umpteen years" (Mom's words again).
Now for the son's modern take on the specific lyrics in question:
As is often true yet today, a partner indeed might prefer to endure temporary or sporadic physical (or psychological) abuse over dealing with the permanence of a separation. Is it wrong to sing about true-to-life situations? Should artists, for the sake of delicate ears, serve up watered down reality? Should we stop listening?