I Wants To Stay Here

(album: The Complete Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong on Verve - 1997)

I wants to stay here,
But I ain't worthy.
You is too decent to understan'.
For when I see him he hypnotize me.
When he take hold of me with his hot hand.
Someday I know he's coming back to call me.
He's going to handle me an' hold me so.
It's going to be like dying, Porgy, deep inside me
But when he calls, I know I have to go.

If dere warn't no Crown, Bess, if dere was only jus' you an'
Porgy, what den?

I loves you, Porgy,
Don' let him take me,
Don' let him handle me an' drive me mad.
If you kin keep me,
I wants to stay here wid you forever,
An' I'd be glad.

There, there, Bess, you don' need to be afraid no mo',
You's picked up happiness and laid yo' worries down.
You going to live easy, you going to live high.
You going to outshine every woman in dis town.
An' remember, when Crown come that's my business, Bess!

I loves you, Porgy,
Don' let him take me
Don' let him handle me
With his hot han'
If you kin keep me
I wants to stay here wid you forever.
I got my man.

What you think I is, anyway,
To let dat dirty houn' dog steal my woman?
If you wants to stay wid Porgy, you going stay.
You got a home now, Honey, an' you got love.
So no mo' crying, can't you understan'?
You going to go about yo' business, singing 'cause
You got Porgy, you got a man.