Stone for Bessie Smith Songtext
von Dory Previn

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 classmate, he confessed
"She wouldn′t want this getting out
But she used to be the best
In school, she was a nice girl
As decent as the rest
Though she never was conservatively dressed"

Isn't it amazing, you'd think she could have 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
But she forgot she had not paid for her own