Empty Bed Blues, Pt. 1
Love's Deception: Bessie Smith's Tale of Heartbreak and Betrayal
Lyrics
Did you ever fall in love with a man that was no good?
Expressing the experience of falling in love with a morally questionable man.
Did you ever fall in love with a man that is no good?
Reiterating the theme of falling for a man who is not virtuous.
No matter what you did for him, he never understood
Highlighting the frustration of not being understood despite efforts to please.
The meanest things he could say would thrill you through and through
Describing the paradox of finding thrill in hurtful words from the man.
The meanest things he could say would thrill you through and through
Repeating the idea that the man's hurtful words bring a strange kind of excitement.
And there wasn't nothin' too dirty for that man to do
Stating that the man is willing to do anything, even morally questionable acts.
He'd treat you nice and kind till he win your heart and hand
Explaining the man's initial charm and kindness to win affection.
He'd treat you nice and kind till he win your heart and hand
Repeating the theme of the man's initial kindness followed by cruelty.
Then he get so cruel that man, you just could not stand
Emphasizing the man's transformation into cruelty after winning love.
Lord, I really don't think no man's love can last
Expressing doubt about the lasting nature of any man's love.
Lord, I don't think no man's love can last
Reiterating skepticism about the endurance of a man's love.
They'll love you to death then treat you like a thing of the past
Suggesting that men may love intensely but later treat the woman as insignificant.
There's nineteen men livin' in my neighborhood
Noting the number of men in the neighborhood and implying their foolishness.
There's nineteen men livin' in my neighborhood
Reiterating the abundance of foolish men and highlighting one as particularly bad.
Eighteen of them are fools and the one ain't no doggone good
Emphasizing the low quality of the majority of men in the vicinity.
Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, oh Lord
Expressing exasperation or a plea for divine intervention in the situation.
Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord
Repeating the plea for divine intervention or expressing despair.
That dirty no good man treats me just like I'm a dog
Summarizing the mistreatment by the man, comparing it to being treated like a dog.
Comment