Oh, Lady Be Good!

By George & Ira Gershwin
1924

An early Gershwin number from their highly successful Broadway production Lady Be Good (starring Fred & Adele Astaire), this infectious gem was first sung by Walter Catlett. A young Ella Fitzgerald made a huge hit in 1947 with a swinging scat rendition that became one of her most identifiable recordings. The song has been associated with her ever since.

Lyrics:

Listen to my tale of woe,
It's terribly sad, but true.
All dressed up, no place to go,
Each ev'ning I'm awfully blue.
I know I'm a winsome miss.
I must win some handsome guy,
Can't go on like this.
I could blossom out I know,
With somebody just like you. So...

Oh, sweet and lovely lady, be good.
Oh, lady, be good to me.
I am so awf'ly misunderstood,
So lady, be good to me.

Oh, please have some pity.
I'm all alone in this big city.

I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,
So, lady be good to me.

Recorded By:

Mel Torme
Django Reinhardt
Count Basie
Dizzy Gillespie
Benny Goodman