Oh, Lady Be Good
Yearning in Jazz: Count Basie's Plea for Understanding
Lyrics
Listen to my tale of woe,
Expressing a sorrowful story
It's terribly sad but true,
The story is sadly true
All dressed up, no place to go
Being dressed up but having nowhere to go
Each evening I'm awfully blue.
Feeling consistently down every evening
I must win some handsome guy
Desiring to attract a handsome companion
Can't go on like this,
Expressing a need for change in the current situation
I could blossom out I know,
Believing in the potential for personal growth with the right person
With somebody just like you.
Desiring a connection with someone similar to the addressed person
So
Transition to addressing the lady directly
Oh, sweet and lovely lady, be good
Asking the lady to be sweet and lovely
Oh, lady, be good to me
Repeating the request for the lady to be good
I am so awfully misunderstood
Expressing a feeling of being misunderstood
So lady, be good to me
Reiterating the plea for the lady to be good
Oh, please have some pity
Begging for pity or compassion
I'm all-alone in this big city
Highlighting the loneliness in a large city
I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,
Describing oneself as a lonesome individual
So lady be good to me.
Repeating the plea for the lady to be good
Oh, please have some pity
Reiterating the request for pity
I'm all alone in this big city
Emphasizing being alone in a big city
I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,
Restating the feeling of being a lonesome individual
So lady be good to me.
Closing with a final plea for the lady to be good
Oh lady be good to me.
Repeating the closing plea to the lady
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