CLARA Summertime and the livin' is easy,
Fish are jumpin', and the cotton is high. Oh your daddy's rich, and your ma is good lookin',
So hush, little baby, don' yo' cry.
One of these mornin's you goin' to rise up singin', Then you'll spread yo' wings an' you'll take the sky.
But till that mornin', there's a-nothin' can harm you With Daddy and Mammy standin' by.
MINGO Oh, nobody knows when the Lawd is goin' to call.
MEN Roll dem bones, roll.
SPORTING LIFE It may be in the summertime and maybe in the fall.
MEN Roll dem bones, roll.
SPORTING LIFE But you got to leave yo' baby and yo' home an' all,
So --
SPORTING LIFE AND MEN Roll dem bones, oh, my brudder, oh my brudder,
Oh my brudder, Roll dem bones, roll dem bones, roll, roll.
Seems like these bones don give me nothin' but boxcars tonight. It was the same two
weeks ago, an' the game broke me; I don't likes that kind o' luck!
SPORTING LIFE Damn you, give me dem bones!
MINGO What do you say to these, Jake?
JAKE Them's the same cock-eyed bones
what clean the game out last Saturday night; If they rolls in this game, I rolls out.
SERENA Honey boy!
JAKE Come on down, Robbins, we're waiting for you.
SERENA Honey, don't play tonight. Do like I say.
ROBBINS I been sweatin' all day.
Night time is man's time. He got a right to forget his troubles. He got a right to play.
SERENA If you hadn't been drinkin' you wouldn't talk to me that way.
You ain't nebber hear Lord Jesus say nuttin' 'bout got to play.
ROBBINS There you go again. Lissen what I say.;
I works all the week; Sunday got to pray. But Saturday night a man's got a right to play.
GROUP A man's got a right to play.
That ole lady of mine is hell on savin' money to join the buryin' lodge.
I says spend it while you is still alive and kickin'
JIM Lord, I is tired this night. I'm done with cotton.
JAKE Better come along with me on the Sea Gull.
I got room for another fisherman.
JIM That suit me.
This cotton hook done swing its las' bale of cotton.
Here, who wants a cotton hook?
CLARA Summertime and the livin' is easy.
CRAP SHOOTERS Seven come, seven come to pappy!
Fish are jumping
Throw that beautiful number! Come seven to me! Yeah, man!
I'll bet yo' wrong. I'll bet he's right! Gettin' hot!
CLARA ...Oh, yo' daddy's rich
CRAP SHOOTERS Come, seven! Shoot! Made it! He made it!
CLARA So hush, little baby, don't yo' cry!
CRAP SHOOTERS Ol' man seven come down from heaven!
JAKE What, that chile ain't asleep yet?
Give him to me. I'll fix him for you.
Lissen to yo' daddy warn you, 'Fore you start a-travelling,
Woman may born you, love you and mourn you, But a woman is a sometime thing,
Yes, a woman is a sometime thing.
MINGO Oh, a woman is a sometime thing.
JAKE Yo' mammy is the first to name you,
Then she'll tie you to her apron string, Then she'll shame you and she'll blame you
Till yo' woman comes to claim you, 'Cause a woman is a sometime thing,
Yes, a woman is a sometime thing.
SPORTING LIFE Oh, a woman is a sometime thing.
JAKE Don't you never let a woman grieve you
Jus' cause she got yo' weddin' ring. She'll love you and deceive you,
Take yo' clothes and leave you 'Cause a woman is a sometime thing.
ALL Yes, a woman is a sometime thing.
JAKE There now, what I tells you; he's asleep already.
CLARA He got better sense than to listen to that nonsense.
ROBBINS Come back, Jake, you make a better crap shooter.
PETER Here come de honey man.
Yes man, dis de honey man. You got honey in de comb?
Yes man, I got honey in de comb. An' is yo honey cheap?
Yes mam, my honey very cheap. Here come de honey man.
ALL Hello, Peter.
LILY Well, here come my ol' man.
Now gimme the money! Now go sit and rest.
MARIA You Scipio! Here come Porgy.
Open the gate for him.
JAKE Here's the ol' crap shark!
MINGO Now we'll have a game!
PORGY Evenin' ladies, hello, boys!
Luck been ridin' high with Porgy today.
I got a pocket full of the Buckra money,
and it's goin' to any man what got the guts to shoot it off me.
MINGO Get on down, son we'll take it.
SPORTING LIFE Lay it down.
ROBBINS All right, mens, roll 'em. We done wait long enough.
JIM You bes' wait for Crown.
I see him comin', takin' the whole sidewalk,
And he looks like he ain't gonna stand no foolin'.
PORGY Is Bess with him?
JAKE Lissen to Porgy.
I think he's sof' on Crown's Bess.
PORGY I ain't nebber swap two words with Bess.
MARIA Porgy got too good sense
to look twice at that liquor guzzlin' slut.
SERENA That gal Bess ain't fit for Gawd fearin'
ladies to 'sociate with.
PORGY Can't you keep yo' mouth off Bess.
Between Gawd fearin' ladies and the Gawd damnin' men that gal ain't got a chance.
JAKE Ain' I tells you Porgy sof' on her?
PORGY No, no, brudder, Porgy ain't sof' on no woman;
They pass by singin', they pass by cryin', always lookin'.
They look in my do' an' they keep on movin'.
When Gawd make cripple, He mean him to be lonely.
Night time, day time, He got to trabble dat lonesome road.
MINGO Here comes Big Boy!
All right, Sporting Life, give us a pint and make it damn quick.
CROWN Pay him, Bess.
JAKE Drunk again!
PORGY He sure love his liquor,
but some day she's gonna throw him down.
CROWN That damn whiskey'-jus' as weak as water.
SERENA See that hussy drinkin' like any man!
BESS Here, Robbins,
have one to the Gawd fearin' ladies.
There's nothin' like 'em, thank Gawd.
CROWN Oh, no, you don't.
Nobody ain't drinkin' none of my licker. All right, mens, I'm talkin' to you.
Anybody answerin' me?
ROBBINS Boxcars again.
MINGO Cover 'em, brother, cover 'em.
ROBBINS Cover hell!
I goin' to pass 'em along and see if I can break my luck.
MINGO Robbins' lady ain't allow him but fifty cent
and he can't take no chances with bad luck.
BESS That's all right, honey boy,
I'll stake you when yo' four bits done gone.
SERENA Go ahead an' play.
You don't need no charity off no she-devils.
BESS See what I gets for you.
Yo' woman is easy when you know the way.
JAKE Crapped out!
PORGY Don't you ever let a woman grieve you
PORGY and ALL She'll love you and deceive you,
take yo' clothes and leave you 'Cause--
PORGY A woman is a sometime thing.
ALL Yes, a woman is a sometime thing.
MINGO Yo' mammy's gone and yo' daddy's happy
Come home little bones, come home to pappy.
Four to make. Come four!
PORGY Crapped out!
SPORTING LIFE Crapped out, come to your pappy
ROBBINS Crown too cock-eyed drunk to read 'em.
What the dice say, Bess?
BESS Seven.
CROWN I ain't drunk enough to read 'em.
That is the trouble. Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha!
Licker ain't strong enough.
Give me a pinch of happy dust, Sportin' Life.
BESS Don't give him that stuff, Sportin' Life.
He's ugly drunk already.
CROWN Pay him an' shut up.
SPORTING LIFE Huh, seven! Huh, seven! Huh, seven!
'leven
CROWN God damn it, I ain't read 'em yet.
CROWN Shut up!
SPORTING LIFE Six to make!
JIM Seven!
PORGY Oh, little stars, little stars,
Roll, roll, roll me some light, Leven little stars, come home, come home,
Roll dis poor beggar a sun an' a moon, A sun an' a moon.
MINGO Li'l Joe.
JIM Little Joe,
PORGY Oh, no, my brother, that ain't little Joe.
They is the monin' and the evenin' stars.
An' just you watch 'em rise and shine for this poor beggar.
Turn me loose.
JIM Made 'em!
CROWN Roll up that bastard's sleeve.
Well, you got them damn dice, conjer them.
PORGY Boy, boy, boy, I'm a crap shootin' idiot.
SPORTING LIFE and JAKE Crapped out!
ROBBINS Nine to make, come nine!
Read 'em. Nine spot! Nine right!
CROWN Touch that money an' meet yo' Gawd!
ROBBINS Take yo' hand off me, you lousy houn'.
Han' me that brick behin' you.
MINGO Jesus, he killed him!
BESS Wake up an' hit it out.
You ain't got no time to lose.
CROWN What the matter?
BESS You done kill Robbins
and the police will be comin'.
CROWN Where you goin' hide?
They know you an' I pulls together.
BESS Some man always willin' to take care of Bess.
CROWN Well, get this: whoever he is,
he's temporary. I'm comin' back when the hell dies down.
BESS All right, only get out now.
Here, take this. That you, Sportin' Life?
SPORTING LIFE Sure, and I's the only friend you got left.
BESS For Gawd's sake,
give me a touch of happy dust. I shakin' so I can hardly stand.
SPORTING LIFE Listen, I'll be goin' to New York soon.
I'll hide you out and take you with me. Why you an' me will make a swell team.
BESS I ain't come to that yet.
SPORTING LIFE Well, the cops ain't goin'
find me here for no woman.
MARIA You done bring trouble enough,
get out before the police come.
BESS You wouldn't have a heart and let me in?
MARIA Not till hell freeze!
BESS Who live over there?
MARIA That's Porgy,
he ain't no use to your kind, he's a cripple and a beggar.
WOMAN Where is brudder Robbins?
ALL He's a-gone, gone, gone,
gone, gone, gone, gone.
WOMAN I seen him in de mornin' wid his work clo'es on
ALL But he's gone, gone, gone
gone, gone, gone, gone.
MAN An' I seen him in the noontime
straight and tall, but death acome awalkin' in the evenin' fall
ALL An' he's gone, gone, gone
gone, gone, gone, gone.
WOMAN An' death touched Robbins wid a silver knife
ALL An' he's gone, gone, gone
gone, gone, gone, gone.
MAN An' he's sittin' in de garden by de tree of life.
ALL An' he's gone, gone, gone
gone, gone, gone, gone. Robbins is gone, gone, gone,
SERENA Who's dat acomin' climbin' up my steps?
MARIA It's Porgy, an' Bess is ahelpin' him.
SERENA What's dat woman comin' here for?
SERENA I don't need yo' money for to bury my man.
BESS Dis ain't Crown's money.
Porgy give me my money now.
SERENA All right, then.
You can put it in the saucer.
WOMAN Come on, sister, come on, brudder,
Fill up the saucer till it overflow,
GROUP Overflow, overflow.
Fill up de saucer till it overflow.
JAKE Yes, my Jesus, overflow.
FIRST WOMAN 'Cause de Lawd will meet you,
Yes, de Lawd will meet you at the court-house do'-
ALL Court-house do', court-house do',
De Lawd will meet you at the court-house do'.
JAKE Yes, my Jesus, court-house do'.
PETER How de saucer stand now, my sister?
CHORUS Oh, he's gone, gone, gone,
SERENA Fourteen dollars an' fifty cent.
MARIA Dat's a-comin' on, sister, you can bury him soon.
SERENA What am I goin' to do if I ain' got the money?
PORGY Gawd got plenty of money for de saucer.
SERENA Bless de Lord!
PORGY An' he goin' to soffen dese people heart
for to fill de saucer till he spill all over.
ALL Amen, my Jesus!
PORGY De Lawd will provide a grave for his chillen,
CLARA Bless the Lord!
PORGY An' he got comfort for de widder.
ALL Oh, my Jesus!
PORGY An' he goin' feed his fadderless chillen.
ALL Yes Lawd, Truth Lawd!
PORGY An' he goin' raise dis poor sinner
up out of de grave.
JAKE Allelujah!
PORGY An' set him in de shinin' seat ob de righteous.
SERENA Amen, my Jesus!
ALL Overflow, overflow,
Oh fill up de saucer till it overflow, Everybody helpin' now
sendin' our brudder to heaven, Lawd, Oh Lawd,
send down your angels! Robbins is rising to heaven!
PORGY Oh, sufferin' Jesus!
You knows right from wrong. You knows Robbins was a good man
an' now he's weary an' he's goin' home.
Reach down yo' lovin' han' an' take our brudder to yo' bosom.
Thank you, Lawd, Bless you Lawd. Lawd will fill de saucer, over, overflow, Oh!
ALL Overflow, overflow,
Oh Lawd will fill de saucer, Ev'rybody helpin' now
Robbins is risin' to heaven! -till it overflow, Oh!
DETECTIVE Um! A saucer-burial setup, I see.
You're his widow?
SERENA Yes, suh.
DETECTIVE He did not leave any burial insurance?
SERENA No, boss, he didn't leave nuttin'.
DETECTIVE Well, see to it he's buried tomorrow.
You killed Robbins an' I'm going to hang you for it!
LILY He ain't don um!
PETER What he say?
LILY He say you kill Robbins.
DETECTIVE Come along now!
PETER 'Fore Gawd, boss, I ain't never done um!
DETECTIVE Who did it, then? You heard me, who did it?
PETER Crown done it, boss. I done see him do it.
DETECTIVE You're sure you saw him?
PETER I swear to Gawd, boss, I was right there beside him.
DETECTIVE That's easy. I thought as much.
You. You saw it too. I don't want to have to put the law on you.
Look at me, you damn dummy!
PORGY I don't know nuttin' 'bout it, boss.
DETECTIVE That's your room in the corner, ain't it?
PORGY Yes, boss, dat's my room.
DETECTIVE The door opens on the court, don't it?
PORGY Yes, boss, my door opens on the court.
DETECTIVE An' yet you didn't see or hear anything?
PORGY I don't know nuttin' 'bout it, boss.
I been asleep inside, and my door been closed.
DETECTIVE You're a damn liar.
He saw the killing; take him along and lock him up as a material witness.
POLICEMAN Come along, uncle.
PETER I ain't done it, boss.
MARIA How long you goin' lock him up for?
POLICEMAN Till we catch Crown.
PORGY I reckon Crown done loose now in de palmetto thickets
an' dere ain' no rope long enough to hang him.
DETECTIVE Then the old man's out of luck
Remember, you've got to bury that body tomorrow
or the board of health will take him an' turn him over to the medical students.
Come on, get the old man in the wagon.
PETER I ain't never done nuttin', boss.
I swear to Gawd I ain' never done nuttin'.
PORGY And there go Peter to be lock up like a thief.
JAKE Like a thief.
PORGY An' here be Robbins with his wife
and his fadderless chillen, an' Crown done gone his ways drinkin'
gamblin', swearin', to do same thing over and over somewheres else.
ALL Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone.
SERENA My man's gone now,
Ain't no use alistenin' For his tired foot-steps
Climbin' up de stairs. Ah! Ole Man Sorrow
Come to keep me comp'ny, Whisperin' beside me
When I say my prayers. Ah- Ain't dat I min' workin'路
Work an' me is travellers Journeyin' togedder
To de promise land. But Ole Man Sorrow's
Marchin' all de way wid me Tellin' me I'm ole now
Since I lose my man.
Ole Man Sorrow sittin' by de fireplace, Lyin' all night long by me in de bed.
Tellin' me de same thing mornin', noon an' eb'nin'
That I'm all alone now since my man is dead, Since my man is dead
ALL Ah -
SERENA Ah -
Since my man is dead
UNDERTAKER How de saucer stan' now, my sister?
SERENA There ain't but fifteen dollar.
UNDERTAKER Hum! Can't bury him for fifteen dollar.
JAKE He got to be buried tomorrow
or the board of health will take him and give him to the medical students
UNDERTAKER Life is hard, brudder,
but we all got to live. It cos' money for to bury a grown man.
SERENA Oh, for Gawd sake, bury him in the grave yard
Don't let the students take him to cut up an' scatter.
I goin' to work on Monday, an' I swear to Gawd, I goin' pay you ev'ry cent.
UNDERTAKER All right, sister,
wit the box an' one carriage, it'll cos' me more'n twenty-five, but I'll see you through.
UNDERTAKER You can all be ready tomorrow mornin'.
It's a long trip to the cemetery.
GROUP Oh, he's gone, gone, gone,
gone, gone, gone, gone
BESS Oh, the train is at the station
An' you better get on board 'Cause it's leavin' today,
ALL Leavin' today, leavin' today.
BESS Oh, the train is at the station
An' you better get on board, 'Cause it's leavin' today,
'An it's headin' for The Promise Lan'.
ALL Headin' for the Promise' Lan'.
BESS Oh, we're leavin' for the Promise Lan'
Leavin' for the Promise' Lan'.
BESS AND ALL Keep that drivin' wheel arollin', rollin'
Let it roll. . . Until we meet our brudder in the Promise' Lan'.
ALL Oh, we're leavin' for the Promise' Lan'
an' you better get on board all you sinners,
oh, you better get on board. 'Cause we're leavin' etc..
'Cause we're leavin' for the Lan', Oh! Keep that drivin' wheel arollin', rollin'
'til we meet our brudder in the Promise' Lan'.
JAKE Oh, I'm agoin' out to the Blackfish banks
No matter what de wedder say, An' when I say I'm goin' I means goin'
An' I'm leavin' at de break o' day.
JAKE AND MEN It take a long pull to get there, huh!
But I'll anchor in the Promise' Lan' In de Promise' Lan'.
JAKE AND MEN It take a long pull to get there, huh!
But I'll anchor in the Promise' Lan'. In de Promise' Lan'.
CLARA Jake, you ain't plannin' to take de Seagull
to de Blackfish banks, is you? It's time for de September storms.
JAKE How you think dat boy goin' get de college
education, if I don' work hard an' make money?
PORGY Oh, I got plenty o' nuttin',
An' nuttin's plenty fo' me. I got no car, got no mule, I got no misery.
De folks wid plenty o' plenty Got a lock on dey door.
'Fraid somebody's agoin' to rob 'em While dey's out amakin' more.
What for? I got no lock on de door,
Dey can steal de rug from de floor.. Dat's okeh wid me,
'Cause de things dat I prize Like de stars in de skies
All are free. Oh, I got plenty o' nuttin',
An' nuttin's plenty fo' me, I got my gal, got my song,
Got Hebben de whole day long! No use complainin'!
Got my gal, got my Lawd, got my song.
WOMEN Porgy change since dat woman come to live with he.
ALL He ain't cross with chillen no more,
an' ain't you hear how he an' Bess all de time singin' in their room?
MARIA I tells you dat cripple's happy now.
CHORUS Happy.
PORGY I got plenty o'nuttin',
An' nuttin's plenty fo' me. I got de sun, got de moon,
got de deep blue sea. De folks wid plenty o' plenty,
Got to pray all de day. Seems wid plenty
you sure got to worry How to keep de debble away, away.
I ain't afrettin' 'bout hell Till de time arrive
Never worry long as I'm well, Never one to strive to be good,
to be bad, What de hell, I is glad I's alive.
Oh, I got plenty o' nuttin' An' nuttin's plenty fo' me.
I got my gal, got my song, Got Hebben de whole day long.
No use complainin', Got my gal, got my Lawd, got my song!
CHORUS Got his gal, got his Lawd.
Listen dear, what I tells you
Come on you, that woman aint the kind for to make a cripple happy
It take a killer like Crown to hold her down
What do you think you're doing? That stuff costs money
MARIA Lissen here, I ain' say nuttin',
no matter how drunk you get dese boys roun' here on rotgut whiskey,
but nobody ain' goin peddle happy dust 'roun' my shop.
Does you hear what I say?
SPORTING LIFE Oh, come on now, ole lady,
le's you an' me be fren'.
MARIA Frien' wid you low-life, hell, no!
I hates yo' struttin' style, Yes sir,
and yo' god damn silly smile an' yo' ten cent di'mons
an' yo' fi'cent butts. Oh, I hates yo' guts.
Somebody's got to carve you up to set these people free
An' de writin' on the wall says it's a goin' to be me.
Some night when you is full of gin an'don't know I's about,
I'm go?n' to take you by de tail an' turn you inside out.
Frien wid you, low-life! hell, no!
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! I's figgerin to break yo' bones
Yes sir, one by one.
An' then I's goin' to carve you up an' hang you in de sun.
I'll feed yo' meat to buzzards an' give'em belly aches.
An' take yo' bones to Kittiwah to pizen rattlesnakes,
Frien's wid you, low-life? I fears I mus' decline!
I sooner cuts mah own throat 'fore I calls you a frien' of mine!
MARIA Oh Lawyer, lookin for somebody?
LAWYER Porgy live here, don't he?
MARIA He sure do, right over there's his room
MARIA Porgy, here's lawyer Fraiser come to see you
LAWYER Mornin' Porgy PORGY Mornin' Lawyer
LAWYER Ain't that Crown's Bess in your room?
PORGY No sir, she ain't She's Porgy's Bess
LAWYER Uhuh-Uhuh, Progy's Bess eh? I guess you'll be wanting divorce
PORGY Huh?
LAWYER If the woman livin' with you now She got to have divorce from Crown
Or it's technically illegal
PORGY How much that thing cost?
LAWYER 1 Dollar, dat is if there ain't no complications
PORGY Miss, you likes to have divorce?
BESS What you think Porgy?
PORGY Imma gon' buy you a divorce
LAWYER Wait a minute, it ain;t legal yet Your name?
CHORUS BESS!!
LAWYER Your age?
BESS 20 years
LAWYER Do you desire to be divorced from that man, Crown
I'm askin' you
BESS Yes Boss, that's true
LAWYER Address the court as Your Honor
CHORUS Yes, your honor (X3)
LAWYER When was you and Crown married?
BESS I don't rightly remember, Your Honor
LAWYER 5 year? 10 year? What?
Dat gal ain't never married!
LAWYER oh that's a complication
PORGY You set her divorce, gimmeback my dollar
LAWYER Course I said divorce
You got no right to laugh
But it take expert to divorce woman what ain't married
And it cost you Dollar and a half
BESS Don't pay him Porgy
Don't let him take it in
LAWYER Alright, go on livin' in sin
Good day to you, Mrs. Porgy
Only dollar and a half to change from woman to lady
CHORUS Woman to lady (X3)
Mr. ARCHDALE Boy, come here boy I'm looking for a man named Porgy
Which is his room? Come, don't you know Porgy?
BOY No, Sir.
ARCHDALE I'm looking for a man name Porgy Can you direct me to his room?
MARIA Anybody here know a man named Porgy?
Come, I'm a friend of his Mr. Archdale, I have good news for him
Oh you mean, Porgy! I ain't understand what name you said
That's him boss, that's him boss
ARCHDALE Good morning, I've come to tell you about your friend Peter
Who got locked up for the Robin's murder
PORGY How you come to care for him?
ARCHDALE His folks used to belong to my family and I just heard he was in trouble.
PORGY He sure got plenty of trouble
ARCHDALE Well, you can tell all of Pete's friends
I'll get his bond He'll soon be home again
PORGY Thank you, Boss God bless you, Boss
Bless you, bless you
FRAZIER Good mornign Mr. Archdale
ARCHDALE Good Morning Frazier
ARCHDALE Hope you're not selling anymore divorces
PORGY He just made a lady out of Bess
For a dollar and a half
ARCHDALE "I, Simon Frazier hereby divorce
Bess and Crown for the charge of 1 dollar and 50 cents cash "
Signed, Simon Frazier
Now look here, Frazier, This Divorce mill must close
Or I'll have to put you in jail
I won't report you this time.
Good morning.
SPORTING LIFE 'Lo, Bess, goin' to picnic?
BESS No, guess I'll stay home.
SPORTING LIFE Picnics is all right for these small town suckers,
but we is use to the high life, you know.
You an' me, we understands each other. I can't see for the life of me
what you is hangin' roun' this place for; why, with your looks, Bess,
an' your way with the boys, there's big money for you, an' me in New York.
BESS I can't remember ever meetin' a nothin'
what I likes less than I does you.
SPORTING LIFE Oh, come on, now,
how about a little touch of happy dus' for old time sake?
BESS I's through with that stuff!
SPORTING LIFE Come on, give me yo' han'.
BESS I tells you, I's through!
SPORTING LIFE Just a pinch, not enough to hurt a flea.
BESS No, no, I done give up dope.
SPORTING LIFE Tell that to somebody else,
nobody ever gave up happy dus'.
Leggo, you dam' cripple! Gawd, what a grip for a piece of a man!
PORGY Sportin' Life, you keep away from my woman,
or I'll break yo' damn neck!
SPORTING LIFE I'd like to see a lousy cripple,
like you, break my neck.
PORGY If I get my hands on you once more,
you'll see quick enough.
BESS Go 'long now.
SPORTING LIFE All right, yo' men frien's come an' they go,
but remember ole Sportin' Life an' de happy dus' here all along.
JAKE Honey, we sure goin' strut our stuff today
Be sure to come 'long to de picnic, Bess.
PORGY Bess, you is my woman now, you is, you is!
An' you mus' laugh an' sing an' dance for two instead of one.
Want no wrinkle on yo' brow, no-how. Because de sorrow of de past is all done done.
Oh, Bess, my Bess, De real happiness is jes' begun.
BESS Porgy, I's yo' woman now, I is, I is!
An' I ain' never goin' nowhere 'less you shares de fun.
Dere's no wrinkle on my brow, no how, But I ain' goin'! You hear me sayin',
If you ain' goin', wid you I'm stayin'. Porgy, I's yo' woman now, I's yours forever
Mornin' time an' evenin time an summer time an' winter time.
PORGY Mornin' time an' evenin' time
an summer time an' winter time, Bess, you got yo' man.
PORGY Bess, you is my woman now an' forever.
Dis life is jes' begun. Bess, we two is one now an' forever.
Oh, Bess, don' min' dose women. You got yo' Porgy, you loves yo' Porgy
I knows you means it, I seen it in yo' eyes, Bess.
We'll go swingin' through de years a-singin' Hmmm...Mornin' time an' evenin' time
an' summer time an' winter time.
My Bess, my Bess, from dis minute I'm telling' you, I keep dis vow;
Oh, my Bessie, we's happy now, We is one now.
ALL Oh, I can't sit down.
Got to keep agoin' like de flowin' of a song. Oh, I can't sit down
Guess I'll take my honey an' her sunny smile along.
Today I is gay an' I's free Jes' abubblin', nothin'troublin' me.
Oh, I's gwine to town I can't sit down.
Happy feelin', in my bones astealin' No concealin' dat it's picnic day.
Sho's is dandy, got de licker handy. Me an' Mandy, we is on de way
'Cause dis is picnic day. Oh I can't sit down
Got to keep ajumpin' to de thumpin' of de drum!
Oh, I can't sit down. Full of locomotion like an ocean full of rum!
Today I is gay an' I's free. Jes' abubblin', nothin' troublin' me!
Oh, I's gwine to town I can't, jes' can't, sit down!
MARIA What's de matter wid you, sister?
Ain't you know you goin' be late for de picnic?
BESS I stayin' with porgy.
MARIA Sho' you goin'. Ev'rybody goin'.
You got to help me wid my basket. Come now, where's yo' hat?
What's dis talk about stayin' home when ev'rybody goin' to de picnic?
BESS Porgy, I hates to go an' leave you all alone.
PORGY Bess, my honey, I so glad to have you go,
I been wantin' you to be so happy here in Catfish Row.
BESS Yes, Porgy, I know.
PORGY Go, chile, go.
MARIA Come on, chile! Get into dese clo'es.
You stay roun' here an' you'll die of de lonesome blues.
Come on now, hurry up. We'll be late for dat boat.
BESS Goodbye, Porgy.
PORGY Goodbye, honey.
BESS Goodbye, Porgy goodbye.
PORGY Oh, I got plenty o' nuttin',
An' nuttin's plenty fo' me, I got my gal, got my Lawd,
got Hebben de whole day long. Got my gal, got my Lawd, got my song!
ALL I ain' got no shame doin' what I like to do!
Sun ain' got no shame; moon ain' got no shame.
So I ain' got no shame, doin' what I like to do!! So I ain' got no shame, doin' what I like to do!!
SPORTING LIFE It ain't necessarily so,
SPORTING LIFE AND CHORUS It ain't necessarily so.
SPORTING LIFE De t'ings dat yo' li'ble
To read in de Bible, It ain't necessarily so.
Li'l David was small, but oh my!
SPORTING LIFE AND CHORUS Li'I David was small, but oh my!
SPORTING LIFE He fought big Goliath
Who lay down an' dieth, Li'l David was small, but oh my!
SPORTING LIFE AND CHORUS Wadoo-Zim bam boodle-oo,
Hoodle ah da wa da - Scatty wah.
SPORTING LIFE Yeah! Oh, Jonah, he lived in de whale,
SPORTING LIFE AND CHORUS Oh, Jonah, he lived in de whale
SPORTING LIFE Fo' he made his home in
Dat fish's abdomen. Oh, Jonah, he lived in de whale.
Li'l Moses was found in a stream.
SPORTING LIFE AND CHORUS Li'l Moses was found in a stream
SPORTING LIFE He floated on water
Till Ole Pharaoh's daughter She fished him, she says, from dat stream.
SPORTING LIFE AND CHORUS Wa-dooZim bam boodle-oo,
Hoodle ah da wa - Scatty wah.
SPORTING LIFE Yeah! It ain't necessarily so,
SPORTING LIFE AND CHORUS It ain't necessarily so,
SPORTING LIFE Dey tell all you chillun
De debble's a villun But 'tain't necessarily so.
To get into Hebben, Don' snap for a sebben!
Live clean. Look at me! Don' have no fault.
Oh, I takes dat gospel Whenever it's pos'ble,
But wid a grain of salt. Methus'lah lived nine hundred years,
SPORTING LIFE AND CHORUS Methus'lah lived nine hundred years,
SPORTING LIFE Say, but who calls dat livin'
When no gal'll give in To no man what's nine hundred years?
I'm preachin' dis sermon to show It ain't nessa, ain't nessa,
ain't nessa, ain't nessa
SPORTING LIFE AND CHORUS Ain't necessarily so.
SERENA Shame on all you sinners.
You call yourselves Church-members, you goes on a decent picnic of
The Sons an' Daughters of Repent Ye Saith the Lord.
An' when the Christians turn their back you start behavin' like Sodom an' Gomorrah.
It's a Gawd's wonder de Lord don't sen' His livin' fire
to burn you offen de face of de earth. An you, Jake,
always so loudmouth at church-meeting, Tell me when did you start
workin' for de devil? Take them baskets an' get on de boat.
all you wicked chillen of de devil! Hear what I tell you,
It's high time you was goin'. You bes' hurry up, you goin' miss dat boat
MARIA If dat boat go without me,
there's gonna be some blue lightning in Catfish Row when I gets home.
Hey there! Hold yo' holt. I's acomin!
Hurry up, Bess! Dat boat's gettin' de whoopin' cough.
BESS Crown!
CROWN You know very well dis Crown.
I seen you lan' an' I been waitin' all day for see you.
I mos' dead on this damn island.
BESS You ain' looks mos' dead, you bigger'n ever.
CROWN Oh, I got plenty to eat, bird egg,
oyster an' such. But I mos' dead of the lonesome
wid not one Gawd'person to swap a word wid. Lord! I's glad you come.
BESS I can't stay, Crown,
or de boat'll go without me.
CROWN Damn dat boat! Got any happy dus' wid you?
BESS No, Crown, no mo' happy dus'.
I done give up dope, an' besides, Crown, I got something for to tell you.
CROWN You bes'lissen to what I gots to tell you.
I waitin' here till de cotton begin comin' in. Den libbin 'll be easy.
Johnny'll hide you an me on de ribber boat fur as Savannah. Who you libbin' w?d now?
BESS I livin' wid de cripple Porgy.
CROWN Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
You sho'got funny tas' in men, but dat's yo' business.
I ain' care who you takes up wid while I's away. But membuh, what I tol' you. He's temporary.
I reckon it'll be just a couple ob weeks now 'fore I comes for you.
BESS Crown, I got something to tell you.
CROWN What dat?
BESS I...I livin' wid Porgy now, an' I livin' decent.
CROWN You hear what I tol' you,
I say in a couple ob weeks I's comin' for you,
an' you is goin' tote fair, lessen you wants to meet yo' Crowd
you gets dat?
BESS Take yo' han's off me, I goin' miss dat boat.
CROWN You tellin' me
dat you'd rather have dat cripple dan Crown?
BESS It's like dis, Crown,
I's the only woman Porgy ever had, an' I's thinkin' now,
how it will be tonight when all these others gets 'em
go back to Catfish Row. He'll be sittin' an' watchin'
the big front gate, acountin' 'em off, waitin' for Bess.
An' when the las' woman goes home to her man an' I ain' there. . .
Lemme go, Crown! You can get plenty other women.
CROWN What I wants wid other woman?
I gots a woman an' dat's you, see!
BESS Oh... What you want wid Bess?
She's gettin' ole now; Take a fine young gal
For to satisfy Crown. Look at this chest
An' look at these arms you got. You know how it always been with me,
These five years I been yo' woman, You could kick me in the street,
Then when you wanted me back, You could whistle, an' there I was
Back again, lickin' yo' hand. There's plenty better lookin' gal than Bess.
Can' you see, I'm with Porgy, Now and forever
I am his woman, he would die without me. Oh, Crown, won't you let me go
to my man, to my man. He is a cripple an' needs my love,
all my love. What you want wid Bess? Oh, let me go to my man. . .
CROWN What I wants wid other woman,
I gots a woman, yes, An' dat is you, yes, dat is you, yes,
I need you now an' you're mine jus' as long as I want you.
No cripple goin' take my woman from me. You got a man tonight an' that is Crown,
yes, Crown, yes Crown. You're my woman, Bess,
I'm tellin' you, now I'm your man.
BESS What you want with Bess?
Lemme go, Crown dat boat, it's goin' wiout me!
CROWN You ain't goin nowhere
BESS Take yo' hands off me,
I say, yo' hands, yo' hands, yo hands.
CROWN I knows you' ain' change
wid you and me it always be the same. Git in dat thicket.
JAKE Honey, dat's all de breakfast I got time for.
It's gettin' late, the weather's fine. I'm on my way.
Come on, you fishermens, it's time to trabble.
NELSON All right, Jake.
JIM All ready, Jake, we bes' be off.
MARIA Goodbye, boys.
JAKE Goodbye, Maria.
NELSON It looks to me like it goin' storm today.
JAKE Don't you know dat ain' de way to talk
'fore my woman So long, Clara, gangway for de Sea Gull.
JAKE AND MEN It take a long pull to get there, huh!
It take a long pull to get there, but
I'll anchor in de Promise' Lan' In de Promise' Lan'.
BESS Take yo' han's off me, I say.
Yo' han's, yo' han's, yo' han's!
BESS Eighteen mile to Kittiwah,
eighteen mile to trabble, Lord, what a long road,
ain' nobody to help me. Ain' nobody to help me!
MARIA Well, if it ain' ole Peter!
How come they let you out of jail?
PETER De white folks put me in
an' de white folks take me out an' I ain' know yet what I done,
what I done, done, done. . .
BESS Oh, there's a rattlesnake in dem bushes
Oh, Lord, ain' nobody to help me.
PETER What's de matter?
MARIA Porgy woman very sick more'n a week now;
she gone to the picnic ain' get los' in de jungle She ain' come home for two day.
PORGY I think dat maybe she goin' to sleep now;
a whole week gone now an' she ain' no better.
Hello, Peter, welcome back home, ole frien'.
PETER I advise you to send her to de white folks hospital.
PORGY Oh, Gawd, don' let 'em take Bess to the hospital!
SERENA Hospital! Mus' be you is all forget
how I pray Clara' baby out of the convulsions.
There ain' never been a sick person or corpse in Catfish Row
dat I has refused my prayers.
PORGY Dat's right, sistuh, you pray over her.
SERENA Oh, doctor Jesus,
who done trouble de water in de Sea of Gallerie.
PORGY Amen!
SERENA An' likewise who done cas'
de devil out of de afflicted time an' time again.
PORGY Time an' time again.
PETER Oh, my Jesus!
SERENA Oh, doctor Jesus,
what make you ain' lay yo' han' on dis po' sister head?
LILY Oh, my father!
SERENA An' chase de devil out of her down
a steep place into de sea like you used to do time an' time again.
PORGY Time an' time again. Oh, my Jesus!
PETER Here come de honey man,
Yes mam, this de honey man.
WOMAN Oh, honey man, honey man!
PETER You got honey in the comb.
Yes mam, I got honey in the comb.
WOMAN Hey there! I wants some honey!
PETER An' is yo' honey cheap?
ANNIE Peter, honey man!
PETER Yes mam, my honey very cheap,
ANNIE Gawd amighty, I's jus' wasting my
breath on you, 'Cause you ain' never goin' to hear no how.
CRAB MAN I'm talkin' about devil crabs
1'm talkin' about devil crabs I'm talkin' about de food I sells
She crab, she crab.
PORGY On yo' way, brother.
CRAB MAN Devil crab!
MARIA Hey, crab man!
CRAB MAN I'm talkin' about de food I sells
When I done talkin' about de food I sells Talkin' about devil crab.
Now I's talkin' about yo' pocketbook I'm talkin' about devil crabs, she crab, she crab
Devil crab, I'm talkin' about de food I sells.
PORGY Now de time, oh Gawd, now de time.
BESS Porgy, Porgy, dat you there, ain' it?
PORGY Thank Gawd, thank Gawd!
BESS I lonesome here all by myself,
it's hot in there, let me sit here with you in the cool.
PORGY Oh, Bess! Bess!
BESS I been sick, ain't I?
PORGY You been very sick.
But now I got you back, Bess.
BESS How long I been sick?
PORGY Over a week now.
You come back from Kittiwah with eye like fireball, an' Maria
get you into bed, an' you ain' know me.
What de matter, Bess?
BESS I guess I ain' know nuttin' wid de fever,
or I ain' come back at all.
PORGY Dat's all right Honey, don't you worry,
Honey, I know you been with Crown.
BESS How you know?
PORGY Gawd give cripple to understan'
many things he ain' give strong men.
BESS You ain' want me to go 'way?
PORGY No, no, I ain' want you to go.
How things stan' between you an' Crown?
BESS He's comin' for me when de cotton come to town.
PORGY You goin'?
BESS I tell 'im, yes.
Porgy, Gawd, man! Why yo' muscle pull up like that?
It make me afraid.
PORGY You ain' got nuttin' to be afraid of;
I ain' try to keep no woman what don't want to stay.
If you wants to go to Crown, Dat's for you to say.
BESS I wants to stay here,
But I ain't worthy. You is too decent to understan'.
For when I see him he hypnotize me. When he take hold of me with his hot hand.
Someday I know he's coming back to call me He's goin' to handle me an' hold me so.
It's goin' to be like dyin', Porgy, deep inside me -
But when he calls, I know I have to go.
PORGY If dere warn't no Crown, Bess,
if dere was only jus' you an' Porgy, what den?
BESS I loves you, Porgy,
Don' let him take me, Don' let him handle me an' drive me mad.
If you kin keep me, I wants to stay here wid you forever,
An' I'd be glad.
PORGY There, there, Bess,
Bess, you don' need to be afraid no mo', You's picked up happiness
and laid yo' worries down. You goin' to live easy,
you goin' to live high. You goin' to outshine every woman in dis town
An' remember, when Crown come that's my business, Bess!
BESS I loves you, Porgy,
Don' let him take me Don' let him handle me
With his hot han' If you kin keep me
I wants to stay here wid you forever. I got my man.
PORGY What you think I is, anyway,
To let dat dirty houn' dog steal my woman? If you wants to stay wid Porgy,
you goin' stay. You got a home now, Honey,
an' you got love. So no mo' cryin', can't you understan'?
You goin' to go about yo' business, singin' cause You got Porgy, you got a man.
MARIA Why you been out on that wharf so long,
Clara? You got no cause to worry 'bout yo' man.
Dis goin' be a fine day.
CLARA I never see de water look so black.
It sits there waitin', holdin' its breath, list'nin' for dat hurricane bell.
MARIA Hurricane bell! Lawd chile,
dere ain' goin' be no hurricane. I's gettin' ole now an'
I ain' hear dat bell but fo' time in my life.
Go 'long to de baby now an' quiet down.
SECOND SOPRANO SOL On, Doctor Jesus,
look down on me wit' pity. Put Yo' lovin' arms thru
de roof of dis house an' lif' me to
CHORUS Lawd, hab mercy.
ALL Oh, de Lawd shake de Heavens an' de
Land rock de groun' Ah - An' where you goin' stand,
my brudder an' my sister, When de sky come atumblin' down.
Oh, de sun goin' to rise in de wes'
ALL An' de moon goin' to set in de sea -
ALL An' de stars goin' to bow befo' my Lawd,
bow down befo' My Lawd Who died on Calvarie.
Oh, de Lawd raise de water an de hypocrite drown An' where you goin' stand,
[Inaudible]
CLARA One of dese mornings you goin'
to rise up singin', Den you'll spread yo wings
an' you'll take de sky, But till dat morning dere's
a nothin' can harm you Wid Daddy an' Mammy standin' by.
CHORUS Lawd hab mercy on our soul.
Oh, de sun goin' to rise in de wes'
PORGY What make you so still, Bess,
You ain' sayin' nuttin' You ain' afraid, is you Honey?
BESS I jus' thinkin',
an' you know what I's thinkin' about?
PORGY You's thinkin' what dis storm mus' be like
atramplin' over de sea islands, dese waves mus' be runnin' clean across Kittiwah.
Ain' nobody could live on dat damn island in a storm like dis
BESS I guess you got me for keeps, Porgy.
PORGY Ain'I tell you dat all along?
ALL Oh, dere's somebody knockin' at de do',
Oh, Mary, Oh, Marta,
dere's somebody knockin' at de do'. Oh, dere's somebody
PETER I hear Death knockin' at de do'.
LILY What you say, Daddy Peter?
PETER I hear Death knockin' at de do'.
LILY It mus' be death or Peter can't hear 'im.
He can't hear no livin' pusson.
MINGO He ain't hear nuttin', ain' nobody knock.
PETER Death knockin' at de do'.
MARIA Open de do', Mingo, an' show Peter dere
ain' nobody dere.
MINGO Open um up yo'self.
MARIA All right, I'll show you.
WOMAN Dat ain' no use, if he's Death, he comin anyway.
MARIA Oh, Gawd, Gawd, don't let 'im in.
CROWN You is a nice parcel of Christians!
Shut a friend out in a storm like dis!
SERENA Who' frien' is you?
CROWN I's yo' frien', Sister.
Oh, here's de woman I's lookin' fo'. Why you ain' come an'
say hello to yo' man?
BESS You ain't my man!
CROWN It's sho' time I was comin' back for you,
sweet Bess! You ain't done much much for yo'self while I been gone.
Ain' dere no whole ones left?
BESS You keep yo' mouth off Porgy.
CROWN Woman, do you want to meet yo' Gawd? Come here!
BESS Porgy my man now!
CROWN Well, for Gawd sake, does you call dat a man?
Well don' you min', I got de forgin' nature an' I goin' take you back.
BESS Keep yo' han' off me.
SERENA You bes' behave yo'self in dis sturm!
Don' you know, Gawd might strike you dead!
CROWN If Gawd want to kill me,
He had plenty of chance 'tween here an' Kittiwah Island.
Me an' Him havin' it out all de way from Kittiwah, firs' Him on top, den me on top.
There ain' nothin' he likes better den a scrap wid a man. Gawd an' me is frien'!
Hear dat? Gawd's laughin' at you!
WOMAN Oh, de Lawd shake de Heavens an' de
Lawd ruck de groun'
ALL Ah, ah, ah,
An' where you goin' stan', my brudder an' my sister, when de sky come tumblin' down,
Dem dat is in such a hurry to meet de Judgement,
All dey gots to do is kiss dereselves goodbye
an' step out dat door. Daddy Peter, here's yo' chance.
De Jim-crow's leavin' an' you don' need no ticket.
How about you, ole lady? What, dere ain'no travellers?
Don you hear Gawd a'mighty laughin at you? Dat's right Gawd laugh an Crown laugh back
Ha, ha, ha, ha Dat s right, drown em out, don let em sing. Ha, ha, ha, ha!
How 'bout dis one, Big Frien'?
A red-headed woman makes a cho-choo jump its track.
A red-headed woman she can make it jump right back.
Oh, she's jus' nature's child, She's got somethin' dat drives men wild.
A red-headed woman's gonna take you wedder you're white, yellow or black.
ALL Lawd, Lawd, save us,
don t listen to dat Crown, Lawd, Jesus, oh, pay no min' to dat Crown
Oh, Lawd, strike him down, strike him down Oh, Lawd, don't listen to dat Crown.
BESS Jake's boat in de river, upside down!
CLARA Jake! Jake!
Bess, keep my baby for me till I get back!
BESS Clara oughtn't to be out dere all by herself.
Won't somebody go to Clara? Ain't dere no man here?
CROWN Yeah, where is a man?
Porgy, what you sittin' dere for? Ain't you hear yo woman callin' for a man?
Looks to me like dere ain' only one man 'roun' here!
All right, I'm goin' out to get Clara, then I'm comin' back to get you.
PORGY No, you don't!
CROWN All right, Big Frien', we's on for another bout!
CHORUS Clara, Clara, don't you be downhearted,
Clara, Clara, don't you be sad an' lonesome. Jesus is walkin' on de water.
Rise up an' follow Him home. Oh, Lawd, oh my Jesus,
rise up an' follow Him home.
Jake, Jake, don't you be downhearted,
Jake, Jake on't you be sad an' lonesome. Jesus is walkin' on de water.
rise up an' follow Him home.
Rise up an' follow Him home. Oh, Lawd, oh my Jesus,
rise up an' follow Him home.
SPORTING LIFE Ha, ha, ha, ha,
MARIA You low-lived skunk, ain' you got no shame
laughin' at those po' womens whaf's singin'
for their mens los' in the storm!
SPORTING LIFE I ain't see no sense in makin' such a fuss
over a man when he's dead; when a gal loses her man
dere's plenty o' men still livin' what likes good lookin' gals.
MARIA I know it ain' dem gals you is after,
ain' you see, Bess got no use for you, ain' you see she got a man?
SPORTING LIFE I see more'n dat, Auntie,
I see she got two men.
MARIA What you mean by dat?
Bess got two men. Crown dead ain' he?
SPORTING LIFE I ain' tellin' you nothin',
but a woman who got jus' one man, maybe she got him for keeps,
but when she got two mens, there's mighty apt to be a carvin',
den de cops comes in an takes de leavin's An' pretty soon she ain't got none.
BESS Summertime an' the livin' is easy,
Fish are jumpin' an'the cotton is high. Oh yo' daddy's rich an yo' ma's good lookin'
so hush, little baby, don' you cry, Ah.
PORGY Bess, Bess, you got a man now, you got Porgy!
DETECTIVE Wait for us at the corner, Al.
We'll put the widow through first
Come on down, Serena Robbins! And make it damn quick
Serena been very sick in her bed 3 days
Tell her if she don't come out I'll get the wagon and run her in
Where were you last night Serena Robbins?
I been sick in my bed three day and three night
And we been nursing her all de time
And dats the God truth
Would you swear to that?
Yes Boss we swear to that
There you are, an air tight alibi
Yeah, just two months ago, Crown killed your husband here
Didn't he?
Answer me,
You'll either talk here or in jail
Did Crown kill your husband Yes or No?
We swear to that boss
And last night, Crown got his right here, didn't he?
Ain't that gentleman say we is alibi?
Was Crown killed here, Yes or No?
We ain't seen nothing boss We been in dis room 3 day and nite
And the window been close
Look at me, Serena Robbins
Do you mean to tell me that the man who killed your husband
Was bumped off under your window
And you didn't see nothing?
We ain't seen nothing boss
We been in this room 3 days and nite
You needn't do that one again!
Oh Hell!
You might as well argue with a parrot.
But you never break their story
But I'll get me a witness
for this inquest.
I'll run that cripple through.
Out here both of ya Step lively now
Now this dead one, Crown, you knew him by sight, didn't
you? You'd know him if you saw him again?
PORGY Yes, boss, seems like I remember him,
when he used to come 'round' here long time ago. But I ain' care none' bout seein' him.
DETECTIVE Well, you've got to see him anyway.
Come along.
CORONER Oh cheer up.
I reckon you've seen a dead body before. It'll all be over in a few minutes.
PORGY There ain' goin' be nobody in dat room 'cept me?
DETECTIVE Just you an' Crown, if you can still call him one.
PORGY Boss, I couldn't jus' bring
a woman with me? I...I couldn't even carry my woman?
DETECTIVE No! You can't bring anyone.
I'll send an officer to help you out.
PORGY Boss, boss...
DETECTIVE Now get this...
I have summoned you an' you have to go. or you'll go to jail for contempt of court
PORGY Oh, Lawd what I goin' do?
BESS You've got to go Porgy,
maybe you can jus' make like to look at him an' keep yo' eye shut;
You goin' be alright, Porgy. You only goin' be a witness.
SPORTING LIFE I ain' so sure of that.
All I know is that when the man that killed Crown go in that room
an' look at him Crown' wound begin to bleed!
PORGY Oh, my Jesus!
SPORTING LIFE That's one way the cops
got of tellin' who killed him.
PORGY I can't look at Crown's face
Oh Gawd, what I goin' do?
POLICEMAN Hey, you there, come along!
PORGY I ain' goin' look on his face!
POLICEMAN Oh, you'll look all right.
BESS Oh, Gawd!
They goin' make him look on Crowns's face!
SPORTING LIFE Sister, that Porgy ain' goin'
be no witness now. They goin' lock him up in jail
BESS Lock him up? Not for long, Sportin' Life!
SPORTING LIFE Not for long.
Maybe one year, maybe two year, maybe-- just like I tol' you
ain' nobody home now but Bess and ole Sportin' Life.
But cheer up, sistuh, Ole Spurtin' Life givin' you de stuff for scare away,
dem lonesome blues.
BESS Happy dus'! I ain' want none of dat stuff,
I tells you. Take dat stuff away, Buzzard!
SPORTING LIFE That's the thing, ain' it?
An' membuh there's plenty more where that come from.
Listen: There's a boat dat's leavin' soon for New York.
Come wid me, dat's where we belong, sister.
You an' me kin live dat high life in New York. Come wid me, dere you can't go wrong, sister.
I'll buy you de swellest mansion Up on upper Fi'th Avenue
An' through Harlem we'll go struttin', We'll go astruttin',
An' dere'll be nuttin' Too good for you.
I'll dress you in silks and satins In de latest Paris styles.
And de blues you'll be forgettin', You'll be forgettin',
There'll be no frettin' Jes nothin' but smiles.
Come along wid me, Hey dat's de place, Don't be a fool, come along, come along.'
There's a boat dat's leavin' soon for New York come wid me,
dat's where we belong, sister, Dat's where we belong! Come on, Bess!
BESS You low, crawlin' hound!
Get away from my door, I tells you, leave it, you rattlesnake.
Dat's what you is, a rattlesnake!
All right, I'll leave it here. Maybe you'll change yo' mind.
MINGO It's Porgy comin' home.
PORGY Thank Gawd I's home again!
CHORUS Welcome home, Porgy.
We're all so glad you is back again.
PORGY Dem white folks sure ain' put nuthin'
over on this baby. Ain' I tell you, I ain' goin'
look on Crown's face.
LILY You ain' look on um Porgy?
PORGY No, no, no, no, I keep dese eyes shut
in dat room 'til they done put me in jail for contemp' of court
Sh...Don' anybody let on I's home again. I got a surprise for Bess. Sweet Bess,
an' I ain' wants her to know, 'til I get ev'rything ready.
Bring dem bundles here, Scipio!
Here, boy, look what I brought for you.
Throw away that ole mouth organ you got an' start on this one.
See, it got a picture of a brass band on it Work on that an' the firs' thing you know
you'll be playin' wid de orphans.
Lily Holmes, Lily Holmes! Here gal, hol' up yo' head.
Dat's right. I never did like dat ole funeral bonnet
Peter buy for you... Get down, sistuh;
Dere now, get underneath dat, an' make all de redbird an' de bluejay jealous.
Now dat's de style for my Bess. She's one gal what always look good in red
Listen to this, ev'rybody; I reckon I's de firs' fella
roun' here what go to jail po' and leave there rich;
All de time I got my lucky bones hid in my mout',
see,...An' I jus' got t'ru dem other crap-shootin' polecats
Bess, oh, Bess, here Porgy come home!
Jus' you wait till dat gal see me. Oh, Bess!
Here Mingo, What's de matter wid you all? Where you goin'? What kind of a welcome
is dis for a man what's just been in jail for contemp' of court?
Here, hol' on, let me see dat chile dat's Bess' baby ain'it,
I counted de days dat I was gone Till I got home to see her face.
Won't somebody tell me where's my Bess? I want her so, my gal, my Bess,
Maria, Maria, Where's Bess? Tell me quick, Where's Bess?
Tell me quick, Where's Bess?
Where is Bess? Oh Bess!
MARIA Lemme tell, you wanna know, Porgy That woman aint fit for you!
PORGY I ain' axin' yo' opinion.
Oh, Bess, oh where's my Bess, Won't somebody tell me where?
I ain' care what she say, I ain' care what she done,
Won't somebody tell me where's my Bess? Bess, Oh, Lawd,
My Bess! I want her now, Widout her I can't go on.
I counted de days dat I was gone Till I got home to see her face.
Won't somebody tell me where's my Bess? I want her so, my gal, my Bess, where is she?
Oh Gawd, in yo' big Heav'n please show me where I mus' go,
Oh give me de strength, show me de way! Tell me de truth, where is
she, where is my gal, where is my Bess!
LILY Bess is gone. An' Serena take dis chile
to give 'im a Christian raisin'.
PORGY You ain' mean Bess dead?
SERENA She worse than dead, Porgy,
She gave herself to de debbil, but she still livin', an' she gone far away.
PORGY Alive, Bess is alive!
Where Bess gone?
MINGO Noo York.
PORGY I hear you say Noo York. Where dat?
MINGO A thousand mile from here.
PORGY Which way Noo York?
MARIA It's way up North pas' de custom house.
PORGY I must go!
MARIA Why you wants to go, Porgy?
You bes' not go any place.
PORGY I must go!
SERENA You better stay wid yo' frien', Porgy,
You'll be happy here.
PORGY Won't nobody lets me go?
MARIA Ain't we tell you, you can't find her, Porgy?
SERENA For Gawd sake, Porgy, where you goin'?
ALL Where yau goin' Porgy? ;
PORGY Ain't you say Bess gone to Noo York?
Dat's where I goin', I got to be wid Bess.
Gawd help me to fin' her.
I'm on my way. Oh Lawd, I'm on my way.
PORGY AND ALL I'm on my way to a Heav'nly Lan',
I'll ride dat long, long road. If You are there to guide my han'.
Oh Lawd, I'm on my way. I'm on my way to a Heav'nly Lan'-
Oh Lawd. It's a long, long way, but You'll be there to take my han'.