McRae was born in Harlem, New York, on the 8th April 1920, and studied piano as a child. As a teenager she came to the attention of Teddy Wilson and his wife, the composer Irene Kitchings Wilson. Through their influence, one of McRae’s early songs, "Dream of Life", was recorded by Wilson’s longtime collaborator Billie Holiday.
By the late 1940s she was well known among the modern jazz musicians who gathered at Minton's Playhouse, Harlem’s most famous jazz club, where she was the intermission pianist. But it was while working in Brooklyn that she came to the attention of Decca’s Milt Gabler. Her five year association with Decca yielded twelve LPs.
The musicians she sang with include Benny Carter, Mercer Ellington, Count Basie, Sammy Davis Jr, Dave Brubeck, and Louis Armstrong. She was married once (and briefly), to drummer Kenny Clarke.
McRae died on the 10th November 1994.
I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
Carmen McRae Lyrics
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And Friday rolls around
My man and me, we gin some
And pray some, and sin some
Never treats me sweet and gentle the way he should
Yeah, I got it bad and that ain't good, that ain't good
My poor heart is sentimental, not made of wood
But when the weekend's over
And Monday rolls around
I end up like I start out
just cryin' my heart out
Lord, Lord, above me
You'd better to make that man love me
The way he should
I've got it bad, so bad and that ain't good
The lyrics to Carmen McRae's song "I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good" explores the feelings of a woman who is in love with a man who doesn't treat her well. She reveals that she and her man drink, pray, and sin some when Friday rolls around, and they go fishing. However, despite these moments of joy, she admits that her man never treats her "sweet and gentle" the way he should. The singer then goes on to explain that she has a sentimental heart, and she feels too deeply, and it makes her suffer. She has got it bad, and it isn't good.
The singer becomes more vulnerable as the song progresses. She says that when the weekend ends, and Monday rolls around, she ends up crying her heart out as she did at the start of the week. She seeks help from God to make her man love her as she deserves. The interpretation of these lyrics deepens as she says that her man doesn't treat her right even though she would have been a good wife to him. The song's chorus repeats the line, "I've got it bad, and that ain't good" to emphasize the pain and disappointment that the woman feels.
Overall, "I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good" speaks to a deep ache for love and affection from someone who doesn't treat their partner well. The song's lyrics reveal how much it hurts to love someone who won't treat you as they should, leaving the singer feeling lonely, sad, and desperate for better treatment.
Line by Line Meaning
And when the fish are jumpin'
When things seem to be going well or prosperous
And Friday rolls around
At the end of the week when people generally have some free time
My man and me, we gin some
My partner and I drink some gin
And pray some, and sin some
We indulge in both good and bad behavior
Never treats me sweet and gentle the way he should
My partner doesn't treat me lovingly and kindly
Yeah, I got it bad and that ain't good, that ain't good
I'm in a bad situation, and it's not good for me
My poor heart is sentimental, not made of wood
I'm an emotional person who feels everything deeply
I've got it bad and that ain't good
My situation is not good for me, and I'm struggling emotionally
But when the weekend's over
When the weekend comes to an end
And Monday rolls around
The start of a new week
I end up like I start out
I end up feeling the same way I did at the beginning of the week
just cryin' my heart out
I'm crying a lot and feeling very emotional
Lord, Lord, above me
An expression of exasperation or desperation
You'd better to make that man love me
Asking for divine intervention to make my partner love me
The way he should
As I expect and deserve to be loved
I've got it bad, so bad and that ain't good
My situation is very bad for me emotionally, and it's not healthy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, GUY WEBSTER/WEBSTER MUSIC
Written by: DUKE ELLINGTON, PAUL WEBSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind