I've Got What It Takes (but It Breaks My Heart To Give It Away)
Bessie Smith

Oh Stingy Ginny saved up all her pennies

Straight to the bank she would go

The sharks would have their hands around her

But none could get her dough

Ginny's fellow was a slick high yellow

Sent away to jail one day

He cried for bail, then turned real pale

When I(*) heard Ginny say

Oh I've got what it takes

But it breaks my heart to give it away

It's in demand

They wants it every day

I've been saving it up for a long long time

To give it away would be more than a crime

Your eyes may roll, your teeth may grit

But none of my money will you git

You can look at my bank book

But I'll never let you feel my purse

Cause I'm a woman, believes in safety first, safety first

Said if you want my money, here's my plan

I'm saving it up for a real good man

I've got what it takes

But it breaks my heart to give it away

She said I've got what it takes

But it breaks my heart to give it away

It's in demand

Folks cryin' for it every day

I've been saving it up for a long long time

To give it away would be more than a crime

Your eyes may roll, your teeth may grit

But none of this small change will you git

You can look at my bank book

But I'll never let you put your hands on my purse

Lord I'm a woman, believes in safety first, safety first

Say if you want my money, here's my plan

I'm not savin' it up for no naked(?) man

I've got what it takes

But it breaks my heart to give it away

(*) Bessie distinctly says I though I think it should be he.


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Lyrics by Bessie Smith

  'tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do   'tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do   A Good Man is Hard to Find   After You've Gone   Aggravatin Papa   Aggravatin' Papa   Aggravatin' Papa   Ain't Misbehavin'   Alexander's Ragtime Band   Any Woman's Blues   At the Christmas Ball   Baby Doll   Baby Won't You Please Come Home   Baby Won't You Please Come Home   Back Water Blues   Back-Water Blues   Backwater Blues   Beale Street Mama   Black and Blue   Bleeding Hearted Blues   Blue Spirit Blues   Body and Soul   Boweavil Blues   Cake Walking Babies (from Home)   Cake Walking Babies from Home   Careless Love   Careless Love [Take 1]   Careless Love [Take 2]   Careless Love Blues   Careless Love Blues (Alternate Take)   Careless Love Blues 1925   Cemetery Blues   Chicago Bound Blues   Dear Old Southland   Devil's Gonna Get You   Devil's Gonna Git You   Devil's Gonna Get You   Dirty No-gooder's Blues   Dirty No-gooder's Blues   Dixie Flyer Blues   Do Your Duty   Don't Cry Baby   Don't Cry Baby   Down Hearted Blues   Down in the Dumps   Downhearted Blues   Easy Come Easy Go Blues   Eavesdropper's Blues   Eavesdropper's Blues   Empty Bed Blues   Empty Bed Blues, Pt. 1   Gimme A Pig Foot And A Bottle Of Beer   Gimme A Pigfoot   Gimme a Pigfoot and a Bottle of Beer   Golden Rule Blues   Graveyard Dream Blues   Gulf Coast Blues   Hard Time Blues   I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle   I Ain't Got Nobody   I Ain't Got Nobody   I Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl   I Used To Be Your Sweet Mama   I Want Every Bit of It   I'm Wild About That Thing   I've Got What It Takes   I've Got What It Takes (but It Breaks My Heart To ...   I've Got What It Takes (But It Breaks My…   I've Got What It Takes, But It Breaks My Heart To ...   I'm Wild About That Thing   If You Don't I Know Who Will   If You Don't, I Know Who Will   It Won't Be You   Jail House Blues   Jail-House Blues   Jeepers Creepers   Keep It To Yourself   Keeps On A-Rainin' (Papa, He Can't Make No Time)   Kitchen Man   Lady Luck Blues   Lost Your Head Blues   Lou'siana Low-Down Blues   Mama's Got the Blues   Mama's Got The Blues   me and my gin   Mean Old Bedbug Blues   Mistreating Daddy   Mountain Top Blues   Muddy Water   Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan)   My Man Blues   My Sweetie Went Away   My Sweetie Went Away (She Didn't Say Where, When O...   Need a Little Sugar In My Bowl   New Gulf Coast Blues   Nobody In Town Can Bake A Sweet Jelly Roll Like Mi...   Nobody Knows When You're Down And Out   Nobody Knows When You're Down And Out   Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out   Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out   Oh Daddy Blues   Outside of That   Please Help Me Get Him Off My Mind   Please Help Me Get Him Out Of My Mind   Poor Man's Blues   Poor Man's Blues   Preachin' The Blues   Preachin' The Blues   Put It Right Here (Or Keep It Out There)   Reckless Blues   Rocking Chair Blues   Royal Garden Blues   Safety Mama   Sam Jones Blues   See If I'll Care   See If I'll Care   Send Me To The 'lectric Chair   Send Me To The 'lectric Chair   Shipwreck Blues   Sing Sing Prison Blues   Someday You'll Be Sorry   Sorrowful Blues   Squeeze Me   St. Louis Blues   St. Louis Blues [DVD]   St. Louis Blues [Original Circle Recording]   St. Louis Blues Soundtrack: Band Intro/Crap Game/C...   St. Louis Gal   Standin' In The Rain Blues   Standin' In The Rain Blues   Take Me for a Buggy Ride   The St. Louis Blues   There'll Be A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight   There'll Be A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonigh...   Thinking Blues   Weeping Willow Blues   What's The Matter Now   What's the Matter Now?   Whoa Tillie Take Your Time   Worn Out Papa Blues   Worried Life Blues   Yellow Dog Blues   Yes Indeed He Do!   Yodling Blues   You've Got To Give Me Some   You've Got To Give Me Some   Young Woman's Blues   Young Woman's Blues

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