Lyrics Bessie Smith

Bessie Smith

Aggravatin' Papa

I know a triflin' man, they call him Triflin' Sam

He lives in Birmingham, way down in Alabam'

Then the other night he had a fight,

With a gal named Mandy Brown

She plainly stated he was aggravating,

As she shouted out to him

Aggravatin' papa, don't you try to two-time me,

I said don't two-time me

Aggravatin' papa, treat me kind or let me be,

I mean just let me be

Listen while I get you told

Stop messin' round sweet jelly roll

If you stay out with a high-brown baby

I'll smack you down and I don't mean maybe

Aggravatin' papa, I'll do anything you say

Anything you say

But when you go struttin', do you strut around my way, so papa

Just treat me pretty, be nice and kind

The way you're treating me will make me lose my mind

Aggravatin' papa, don't you try to two-time me

Just treat me pretty, be nice and sweet

I got a darn forty-four that don't repeat

Aggravatin' papa, don't you try to two-time me