Why Don't You Do Right
Esquivel & His Orchestra Lyrics


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You had plenty money 1922
You let other women make a fool of you
Why don't you do right, like some other men do?
Get out of here and get me some money too?

You're sitting there wondering what it's all about
You ain't got no money, they will put you out
Why don't you do right, like some other men do?
Get out of here and get me some money too?

If you had prepared 20 years ago
You wouldn't be a-wanderin' out from door to door
Why don't you do right, like some other men do?
Get out of here and get me some money too

I fell for your jivin' and I took you in
Now all you got to offer me's a drink of gin
Why don't you do right, like some other men do?
Get out of here and get me some money too





Why don't you do right, like some other men do?
Like some other men do

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Why Don't You Do Right, originally sung by Lil Green, and covered by various artists like Peggy Lee, Benny Goodman, and Esquivel & His Orchestra, are centered around a woman's frustration with her lover's inability to provide for her financially. The first verse talks about how the man used to have money in 1922, but now he lets other women fool him and has no money. The woman then questions why the man can't do right, like other men who provide for their partners. She asks him to leave and bring back some money while he's at it.


In the second verse, the woman tells the man that he will be kicked out since he has no money. She again asks why he can't do right and provide for her like other men. In the third verse, the woman reminds the man that if he had prepared twenty years ago, he would not be in this situation of wandering from door to door. She asks him to do the right thing and bring her some money.


The final verse reveals the woman's frustration and disappointment, where she talks about falling for the man's sweet talk and taking him in. But now all he has to offer her is a drink of gin. She once again asks him to do right like other men.


Overall, the lyrics of the song convey a very current message of financial independence and the importance of social norms and expectations surrounding gender roles at that time.



Line by Line Meaning

You had plenty money 1922
In the year 1922, you had a lot of money at your disposal.


You let other women make a fool of you
You allowed other women to take advantage of you and make a fool out of you.


Why don't you do right, like some other men do?
Why don't you start doing the right thing, just like other men do?


Get out of here and get me some money too?
Leave this place and find a way to get money for me as well.


You're sitting there wondering what it's all about
You are perplexed and clueless about the ongoing situation.


You ain't got no money, they will put you out
As you have no money with you, people will not tolerate your presence and will force you to leave.


If you had prepared 20 years ago
If you had made appropriate plans and preparations two decades back,


You wouldn't be a-wanderin' out from door to door
You wouldn't be aimlessly wandering from one place to another in search of assistance.


I fell for your jivin' and I took you in
I got fooled by your sweet talk and let you stay with me.


Now all you got to offer me's a drink of gin
Now, all you are capable of providing me with is a drink of gin.


Why don't you do right, like some other men do?
Why don't you start doing the right thing, just like other men do?


Like some other men do
Just like how other men do what is appropriate, without fail.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Joe McCoy

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

alitlweird

I woulda loved to hear them in Vegas!!!

camilo dobrée

Que grande Esquivel!!! Lo conoci en el soundtrack de Better Call Soul, hoy en dia no puedo parar de agradecer haberlo conocido. Merece mucho mas reconocimiento

Rosa Chavez

Otra. De. Las. Grandes. Orquestas
Americanisadas. Me. Encanta
Estilo. Estados. Unidos. Gracias

Rosa Chavez

Muy
Excitante las. Grande. Orquestas
De. Grandes. Profesores. Y. Muchos
Instrumentos fabuloso gracias

Clan TV

My God, this man was born in the land that I am living in, Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico. VIVA JUAN GARCIA ESQUIVEL

Hunter Mann

Genio

Lane Crooks

Needs to be more footage

lilbitnikkieable

Thanks for posting this my papa is Louis valizan an I have no videos of any of his stuff an he passed away so I can’t just ask him stuff so thank u for posting

juanunderground

JUAN GARCIA ESQUIVEL was a LATINO PRIDE in all of the musical dimensions

Curtis Martin

Is this part of a full-length doc on E? If so, where can I see it?

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