A Stone For Bessie Smith Lyrics by Dory Previn
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isn't it amazing
shakes you to the bone
she bought a stone
for bessie smith
she bought bessie smith
a stone
she got it for
her grave-site
on a temporary loan
but she forgot
she had not paid
for her own
she forgot she had not paid
she forgot she had not paid
after all the contracts
and arrangements had been made
she went to bessie's grave
and marked it with a stone
but she still
had to pay for her own

she went home
to her class reunion
where a class-mate
he confessed
she wouldn't want this
getting out
but she used to be the best
in school she was a nice girl
as descent as the rest
though she never was
conservatively dressed

isn't it amazing
you think she could've known
she bought a stone
for bessie smith
she bought bessie smith
a stone
she got it for
her grave-site
on a temporary loan
but she forgot
she had not paid
for her own
she forgot she had not paid
she forgot she had not paid
no sooner had the letters
on the deed begun to fade
when her ashes had been scattered
been battered and been blown
she still had to pay
for her own
she knew
miss gloria swanson
on a tv show they met
they talked across
a hundred years
miss gloria's with us yet
but janis was a gambler
who'd already lost a bet
and the time had come
to settle up
her debt

isn't it amazing
shakes you to the bone
she bought a stone
for bessie smith
she bought bessie smith
a stone
she got it up
for bessie
on a temporary loan
but she forgot
she had not paid
for her own.
isn't it amazing   shakes you to the bone   she bought a stone   for bessie smith   she bought bessie smith   a stone   she got it for   her grave-site   on a temporary loan   but she forgot   she had not paid   for her own   she forgot she had not paid   she forgot she had not paid   after all the contracts   and arrangements had been made   she went to bessie's grave   and marked it with a stone   but she still   had to pay for her own      she went home   to her class reunion   where a class-mate   he confessed   she wouldn't want this   getting out   but she used to be the best   in school she was a nice girl   as descent as the rest   though she never was   conservatively dressed      isn't it amazing   you think she could've known   she bought a stone   for bessie smith   she bought bessie smith   a stone   she got it for   her grave-site   on a temporary loan   but she forgot   she had not paid   for her own   she forgot she had not paid   she forgot she had not paid   no sooner had the letters   on the deed begun to fade   when her ashes had been scattered   been battered and been blown   she still had to pay   for her own   she knew   miss gloria swanson   on a tv show they met   they talked across   a hundred years   miss gloria's with us yet   but janis was a gambler   who'd already lost a bet   and the time had come   to settle up   her debt      isn't it amazing   shakes you to the bone   she bought a stone   for bessie smith   she bought bessie smith   a stone   she got it up   for bessie   on a temporary loan   but she forgot   she had not paid   for her own.