DORY PREVIN - Stone For Bessie Smith (1971)

isn't it amazing
shakes you to the bone
she bought a stone
for bessie smith
she bought bessie smith
a stone
she got it for
her grave-site
on a temporary loan
but she forgot
she had not paid
for her own
she forgot she had not paid
she forgot she had not paid
after all the contracts
and arrangements had been made
she went to bessie's grave
and marked it with a stone
but she still
had to pay for her own

she went home
to her class reunion
where a class-mate
he confessed
she wouldn't want this
getting out
but she used to be the best
in school she was a nice girl
as descent as the rest
though she never was
conservatively dressed

isn't it amazing
you think she could've known
she bought a stone
for bessie smith
she bought bessie smith
a stone
she got it for
her grave-site
on a temporary loan
but she forgot
she had not paid
for her own
she forgot she had not paid
she forgot she had not paid
no sooner had the letters
on the deed begun to fade
when her ashes had been scattered
been battered and been blown
she still had to pay
for her own
she knew
miss gloria swanson
on a tv show they met
they talked across
a hundred years
miss gloria's with us yet
but janis was a gambler
who'd already lost a bet
and the time had come
to settle up
her debt

isn't it amazing
shakes you to the bone
she bought a stone
for bessie smith
she bought bessie smith
a stone
she got it up
for bessie
on a temporary loan
but she forgot
she had not paid
for her own.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Mythical
• Kings
• and
• Iguanas
• (1971)
• Dory
• Previn
• Singer-Songwriter
• Folk
• Rock
• Pop
• Guitar
• Female
• Vocal
• Janis
• Joplin

[mardi2go]

TuxedoCat27, Thank you, so very much for your much appreciated and expedient reply! I have been searching for years, as I simply think she is one of the most brilliant, emotionally raw songwriters , the music world has ever known! Thank you for the "extras"..........~~With Love, Light and profound gratitude~~

[TuxedoCat27]

@mardi2go Thanks! Glad I could help! And, yes, Dory Previn is indeed a most wonderful songwriter! :)

[mardi2go]

Dory, wrote a song, with part of the lyric, "If I could love me more, I would love you less", I don't know the title, do you???

[TuxedoCat27]

@mardi2go I Dance and Dance and Smile and Smile ("After an initial deep split the tremors can go on indefinitely"; L.A. Times) from DORY PREVIN - Taps Tremors and Time Steps (1971) Reflections In A Mud Puddle

[MrGrundig55]

Alt for mange , har glemt BESSI!

[SmallDays1]

Thanks for posting this. I have always loved the song. it inspired me to post a little Bessie Smith tribute of ourselves playing a classic Bessie Smith song.

[lowbrow50]

I learned something new today! I was trying to find "The Owl and the Pussycat" song. I like this one and googled and found the story. Interesting.

[SuperAmos31]

Thanks for the info vectec39 the song makes perfect sense now. Very tongue in cheek song wonderful

[rh710522]

I'm very sorry about that! It's just that I'm in my late 50's, nobody followed Dory, but everyone loved Janis (of course, I also!) Please accept my apology!

[rh710522]

@Kobe29261 I'm very sorry about that! It's just I'm in my late 50's, nobody followed Dory, but everyone loved Janis (of course, I also!) Please accept my apology!