Wow... never listened to those lyrics before...

Next time my dad complains about obscenity in today's music, I'll have him listen to this.

But I'd rather my man would hit me
Than follow him to jump up and quit me
Ain't nobody's business if I do
I swear I won't call no copper
If I'm beat up by my papa
Ain't nobody's business if I do

Hmmm...sounds like it should be somebody's business if she do.   

But I'd rather my man would hit me
Than follow him to jump up and quit me
Ain't nobody's business if I do
I swear I won't call no copper
If I'm beat up by my papa
Ain't nobody's business if I do

Hmmm...sounds like it should be somebody's business if she do.

Billie is the queen, the number one, i love her music... is so cute, so romantic. long life to the queen!

Great to see some Billie on the playlist.

What an education from Lester! Thanks!
I'm sorry to say that now when I hear Billie Holliday, I think of David Sedaris!

My mother is of that era — well, born a couple years before Ms. Holiday, but the same era. Let's ask Mom about how the song was received in the day.

Unfortunately, in talking with her the other day, I hadn't a ready recording, nor was there any sheet music available. So it's understandable Mom doesn't recall the words to this right off hand, especially since Billy Holiday was known for varying lyrics and arrangements almost at whim. ("No two people on earth are alike, and it's got to be that way in music or it isn't music.") Also, Mom never saw her perform and is likely remembering her from radio broadcasts, done live in those days. And exactly which set of lyrics are we hearing here on RP, anyway? Which recordings survived?

After all these years, my mother's impression about this song still coincides with what she related to me when I was young: that Lady Day was an independent sort of woman, cut according to no one's mold. Speaking of this particular song, she said something which may or may not actually be true. "She {Ms. Holiday} would go out to night clubs in New York City and draw attention to herself. People {other patrons} didn't like her men friends. Maybe they were poor or roughneck or something. That's why she said 'tain't nobody's business even IF I do.'" (Mom added the "even if" part.) This is reflected in the lead-in, which I suppose has stuck with her most prominently:

     There ain't nothing I can do
     Or nothing I can say
     That folks don't criticize me.

And then on about an "independent sort of woman":

     But I'm going to do just as I want to anyway
     And don't care what people say.

Regarding Mom's comments on the "men friends":

     If my man ain't got no money
     And I say, "Take all of mine, honey" . . .

or

     If I give him my last nickel
     And it leaves me in a pickle . . .

I remember times when Mom herself even used a paraphrasing of one line to express her own idea of throwing something back in the face of an encroacher of her personal freedom:

     If I should take a notion
     To jump into the ocean . . .

Remember, this is just the impression of a listener of the day — one who never really put much significance into the last stanza and rather clued in on the earlier ones — an old woman who "hasn't heard that song in umpteen years" (Mom's words again).

Now for the son's modern take on the specific lyrics in question:

As is often true yet today, a partner indeed might prefer to endure temporary or sporadic physical (or psychological) abuse over dealing with the permanence of a separation. Is it wrong to sing about true-to-life situations? Should artists, for the sake of delicate ears, serve up watered down reality? Should we stop listening?

Yeah, I've still got nothing.

My mom had this record playing while I was growing up.  I loved the whole thing. This is precious to me.  Thanks Bill.  Amy

One of my wishes is to find a time machine and go back to the 40's & 50's and see Billie live. SNAP!

Black tie and all.