Wednesday, October 1, 2014

The Talking Ragtime Bourgeois Blues No 137(b)

To listen to this song, click here

Advance notice to potential listeners. Please be aware that a ragtime blues combined with a talking blues introduces some complex chord progressions, key modulations, and something known technically in the profession as "notes in the tonic scale", all of which, let's be honest, are way beyond the musical limitations of this particular artist. As Leonard Cohen once famously remarked, if you want to hear real singing, go to the Opera.





She'd like to have been a painter, and lived in a garret or two
She'd like to have gone on the stage, just for something to do
She'd like to have been a lawyer, and argued her cases for free
But o how she suffered in childhood, deprived of the benefits of hunger and poverty

And she's bored, with doing nothing
She's bored, the maid does the chores
She's bored, with doing the shopping
In Harrods and Macys and other fine stores
She's bored with opera and ballet
She's bored, with screwing the valet
She's bored, best go out and buy some new shoes
My baby's got the bourgeois blues
 (That’s what they call it)
My baby's got the bourgeois blues

She likes to go spending my money
On jewellery fine, but discrete
She thinks that it’s really quite funny
Why some folks build their homes on the street
She likes to tip waiters with roubles
And porters with shekels and yen
And empathise with all their troubles
For she’s had them herself now and then

But she’s bored with Ascot and Henley (with life on the Hamptons)
She’s bored, her lover’s in France
She’s bored – it’ll drive her to Shenley (they’ve closed the hair salon)
O won’t some gorgeous toy-boy invite her to dance
She’s bored with weekends in Paris
She’s bored, and not the least bit embarrassed
Best go out and buy some new shoes
My baby's got the bourgeois blues
(It’s very fashionable)
My baby's got the bourgeois blues

She sits on a charity commission, doling out dosh to the poor
But she spends all her mornings just wishing she could do something usefully more
The boob job has lifted her spirit, the diet has made her so slim
They think that she’s turned anorexic, when she’s getting her tan at the gym

And she’s bored, she’s done the museums
She’s bored, you’ve seen one you’ve seen ‘em (all)
She’s bored, it’s time for martinis
She’s bored, now where’s my bikini
She’s bored, best go out and buy some new shoes
My baby’s got the bourgeois blues
 (I hope it kills her)
My baby’s got the bourgeois blues








If you would like to include "The Talking Ragtime Bourgeois Blues No 137(b)" in your repertoire, either for paid public performance or to record for commercial purposes, or if you would like to re-use the recordings attached to this blog-page for commercial purposes, contact argaman@theargamanpress.com. 


Use of this song, and/or these recordings, for non-commercial purposes, is not simply permitted but invited.




Words and music by David Prashker


Copyright © 2014 David Prashker


All rights reserved


The Argaman Press


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