Let It All Out

(1964) nina simone, waring cuney

She does not know
Her beauty,
She thinks her brown body
Has no glory.
If she could dance
Naked,
Under palm trees
And see her image in the river
She would know.
But there are no palm trees
On the street,
And dishwater gives back no images.

Arthur herzog jr, billie holiday

Hush now, don't explain
Just say you'll remain
Unless you're mad, don't explain

My love, don't explain
What is there to gain
Skip that lipstick
Don't explain

You know that i love you
And what loving does
All my thoughts are real
For i'm so completely yours

Try to hear folks chatter
And i know you cheat
Right or wrong, don't matter
When you're with me, sweet

Hush now, don't explain
You're my love and pain
My life's your love
Don't explain

this year's kisses


This year's crop of kisses
Don't seem as sweet to me
This year's crop just misses
What kisses used to be
This year's new romance
Doesn't seem to have a chance
Even helped by mr. moon above
This year's crop of kisses is not for me
For i'm still wearin' last year's love.

(1930) barney bigard, duke ellington, irving mills

You ain't never been blue, no, no, no
You ain't never been blue
Till you've had that mood indigo
That feeling goes stealing down to my shoes
While i just sit here and sigh
Go along blues

I always get that mood indigo
Since my baby said goodbye
And in the evening when the lights are low
I'm so lonely i could cry
For there's nobody who cares about me
I'm just a poor fool that's bluer than blue can be
When i get that mood indigo
I could lay me down and die

You ain't never been blue, no, no, no
You ain't never been blue
Till you've had that mood indigo
That feeling goes stealing down to my shoes
While i just sit here and sigh
Go along blues

(1963) bob dylan

Hollis brown
He lived on the outside of town
Hollis brown
He lived on the outside of town
With his wife and five children
And his cabin fallin' down

You looked for work and money
And you walked a rugged mile
You looked for work and money
And you walked a rugged mile
Your children are so hungry
That they don't know how to smile

Your baby's eyes look crazy
They're a-tuggin' at your sleeve
Your baby's eyes look crazy
They're a-tuggin' at your sleeve
You walk the floor and wonder why
With every breath you breathe

The rats have got your flour
Bad blood it got your mare
The rats have got your flour
Bad blood it got your mare
If there's anyone that knows
Is there anyone that cares?

You prayed to the lord above
Oh please send you a friend
You prayed to the lord above
Oh please send you a friend
Your empty pockets tell yuh
That you ain't a-got no friend

Your babies are crying louder
It's pounding on your brain
Your babies are crying louder now
It's pounding on your brain
Your wife's screams are stabbin' you
Like the dirty drivin' rain

Your grass it is turning black
There's no water in your well
Your grass is turning black
There's no water in your well
You spent your last lone dollar
On seven shotgun shells

Way out in the wilderness
A cold coyote calls
Way out in the wilderness
A cold coyote calls
Your eyes fix on the shotgun
That's hangin' on the wall

Your brain is a-bleedin'
And your legs can't seem to stand
Your brain is a-bleedin'
And your legs can't seem to stand
Your eyes fix on the shotgun
That you're holdin' in your hand

There's seven breezes a-blowin'
All around the cabin door
There's seven breezes a-blowin'
All around the cabin door
Seven shots ring out
Like the ocean's pounding roar

There's seven people dead
On a south dakota farm
There's seven people dead
On a south dakota farm
Somewhere in the distance
There's seven new people born