person:branford marsalis

    • BERTA, BERTA

      O Lord Berta Berta O Lord gal oh-ah
      O Lord Berta Berta O Lord gal well

      Go ’head marry don’t you wait on me oh-ah
      Go ’head marry don’t you wait on me well now
      Might not want you when I go free oh-ah
      Might not want you when I go free well now

      O Lord Berta Berta O Lord gal oh-ah
      O Lord Berta Berta O Lord gal well now

      Raise them up higher, let them drop on down oh-ah
      Raise them up higher, let them drop on down well now
      Don’t know the difference when the sun go down oh-ah
      Don’t know the difference when the sun go down well now

      Berta in Meridian and she living at ease oh-ah
      Berta in Meridian and she living at ease well now
      I’m on old Parchman, got to work or leave oh-ah
      I’m on old Parchman, got to work or leave well now

      O Lord Berta Berta O Lord gal oh-ah
      O Lord Berta Berta O Lord gal well now

      When you marry, don’t marry no farming man oh-ah
      When you marry, don’t marry no farming man well now
      Everyday Monday, hoe handle in your hand oh-ah
      Everyday Monday, hoe handle in your hand well now

      When you marry, marry a railroad man oh-ah
      When you marry, marry a railroad man well now
      Everyday Sunday, dollar in your hand oh-ah
      Everyday Sunday, dollar in your hand well now

      O Lord Berta Berta O Lord gal oh-ah
      O Lord Berta Berta O Lord gal well

      Taken from the play The Piano Lesson by August Wilson, as written in the text and as sung in the Hallmark Hall of Fame by Charles S. Dutton, Courtney B. Vance, Carl Gordon and Lou Myers.