Kitchen Man
Bessie Smith Lyrics


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Madam Buff's was quite deluxe
Servants by the score
Footmen at each door
Butlers and maids galore

But one day Sam, her kitchen man
Gave in his notice, he's through
She cried, "Oh Sam, don't go
It'll grieve me if you do"

I love his cabbage gravy, his hash
Crazy 'bout his succotash
I can't do without my kitchen man

Wild about his turnip top
Like the way he warms my chop
I can't do without my kitchen man

Anybody else can leave
And I would only laugh
But he means too much to me
And you ain't heard the half

Oh, his jelly roll is so nice and hot
Never fails to touch the spot
I can't do without my kitchen man

His frankfurters are oh so sweet
How I like his sausage meat
I can't do without my kitchen man

Oh, how that boy can open clam
No one else is can touch my ham
I can't do without my kitchen man

When I eat his doughnuts
All I leave is the hole
Any time he wants to
Why, he can use my sugar bowl

Oh, his baloney's really worth a try




Never fails to satisfy
I can't do without my kitchen man

Overall Meaning

The song "Kitchen Man" by Bessie Smith is an ode to a man who works in the kitchen of a wealthy household. The song describes how the kitchen man, named Sam, is an essential part of the household and how the lady of the house cannot live without him. The contrast between the opulence of Madam Buff's mansion and the value of the kitchen man is striking. Sam is leaving the house, but the Madam is begging him to stay, saying how much she loves his cooking, from his famous cabbage gravy to his sweet baloney. She even offers him her sugar bowl.


Line by Line Meaning

Madam Buff's was quite deluxe
Madam Buff's estate was very luxurious


Servants by the score
Madam Buff had many domestic employees


Footmen at each door
There were footmen stationed at every entrance


Butlers and maids galore
Madam Buff had a surplus of butlers and maids


But one day Sam, her kitchen man
However, one day a man named Sam, who worked in the kitchen, decided to leave


Gave in his notice, he's through
Sam quit his job


She cried, "Oh Sam, don't go
Madam Buff pleaded for Sam to stay


It'll grieve me if you do"
She expressed how upset she would be if he left


I love his cabbage gravy, his hash
Madam Buff loves Sam's cooking, particularly his cabbage gravy and hash


Crazy 'bout his succotash
She is madly in love with his succotash


I can't do without my kitchen man
Madam Buff can't imagine life without Sam and his cooking


Wild about his turnip top
Madam Buff is also fond of Sam's turnip top dish


Like the way he warms my chop
She appreciates how Sam cooks her chop to perfection


Anybody else can leave
Madam Buff wouldn't mind if any other employee left


And I would only laugh
In fact, she might even be amused


But he means too much to me
However, Sam is too important to her


And you ain't heard the half
There's more to her feelings for him than she's letting on


Oh, his jelly roll is so nice and hot
One of Sam's desserts, the jelly roll, is especially delicious


Never fails to touch the spot
It always hits the spot and satisfies her sweet tooth


His frankfurters are oh so sweet
Sam's frankfurters are sweet and delicious


How I like his sausage meat
Madam Buff also enjoys Sam's sausage meat


Oh, how that boy can open clam
Sam is skilled at opening clams


No one else is can touch my ham
She trusts only Sam to cook her ham


When I eat his doughnuts
She loves Sam's doughnuts


All I leave is the hole
She eats them so quickly that all that's left is the hole


Any time he wants to
Sam is free to use her sugar bowl whenever he needs to


Why, he can use my sugar bowl
She is happy to share with him


Oh, his baloney's really worth a try
Sam's baloney is worth trying


Never fails to satisfy
It always satisfies her hunger


I can't do without my kitchen man
Once again, Madam Buff can't imagine living without Sam




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDY RAZAF

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Franco Saligari

La regina delle blues singers, ispiratrice di Janis Joplin e altre, intramontabile e irripetibile.

d.thomas moore

Beautiful voice and a set of gams to match.

RhyoJ Dee

"When I eat his donuts, all I leave is the hole" I love that!!

Amber Lee

Love it!

You Know Where You Went Wrong

This is ten times dirtier than "WAP" and a hundred times more creative.

Weapon XX

Hot damn.

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