Moody woman blues

by Ricarda McDonald Payne

I'm a moody woman, Lord, moody all the time
Yes, I'm a moody woman, so moody all the time
I tell it true when I say it
I need a strong man ta keep me in line
I can wake up in the mornin' `An before I git out of bed
My spirit's on its way down
`An the devil's got ma head
Yes, I'm a moody woman
So moody all the time
I tell it true when I say it
I need a strong man ta keep me in line
If we go out to a party
`An ma man starts lookin' round alot
I feel a mood comin' on me
`An ma temper gittin hot
Yeah, I'm a moody woman
I'm moody all the time
I ain't lyin' when I say that
I need a good man ta keep me in line
I might be sittin' on ma doorstep
`An the rain begins to fall
Don't say nothin' to me
Cause then I'm moodiest of all
Lord, I'm a moody woman
Moody all the time
I tell it true when I say it
I need a strong man ta keep me in line
When I come home in the evenin'
Ain't nothin' there but the four walls
Ya know I'm restless as can be
Until my baby calls
Moody, moody, moody
So moody all the time
I'm still lookin' round ta find me
A soulful man ta keep me in li-i-ne...

Billie Holliday

1915-1959

Arms outflung like wings of fluttering bird you sing on fading film, Lady Day raise your ravaged face and for a moment you're beautiful again.

Little Eleanora Fagan born in Baltimore raped at eleven prostitute at fourteen yet you became the Queen of Le Jazz Hot on 52nd Street.

Slow and sexy just behind the beat your raw and soulful sound more torch than blues you never learned to read a note of music.

You had no need to read to record Strange Fruit All you had to do was look around Those lynchings in the thirties led to your signature song--your need for solace.

You sang with all the greats Lester Young on sax Goodman on clarinet Count Basie, Teddy Wilson, Artie Shaw but the wrong men (starting with Jimmy Monroe) made the blues real for you.

Even for radio you dressed the part indigo hair agleam sad smile ever near Billie, you always looked like you were singing just for yourself.

ALIGN=right--Norma West Linder

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