Bessie Smith Beale Street Mama Lyrics

Beale Street Mama Lyrics

Jenny Neale, 

Down in Beale, 

Gave her papa the air; 

Left him
cold, 

Got him told, 

Said she didn't care. 

Old Joe, her
beau, 

Looked just like he would die; 

If you was near him, 

You would hear him 

Sob his mournful cry: 



Beale Street
Papa, 

Why don't you come back home? 

It isn't proper to leave your
mama all alone! 

Sometimes I was cruel, that was true, 

But Papa,
you know Mama never two-timed you! 

Boo-hoo, I'm blue; 

So how come
you do me like you do? 

I'm cryin'! 

Beale Street Papa, don't mess
around with me! 

There's plenty pettin' that I can get in Tennessee, 

I'll still get my sweet cooking, constantly, 

But not the kind you
served to me, 

So Beale Street Papa, come back home! 



So how
come you do me like you do? 

I'm cryin'! 

Beale Street Papa, don't
mess around with me! 

There's plenty pettin' that I can get in Tennessee,


I bought a rifle, razor and a knife, 

A full support [?] can't save
my life; 

So Beale Street Papa, come back home!