Dory Previn - Stone For Bessie Smith lyrics

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 cla** reunion Where a cla** 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