Witnesses Lyrics

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Embrace me, my sweet embraceable you
Embrace me, you irreplaceable you
Baby, just one look at you
My heart goes tipsy in me
You and you alone bring out the gypsy in me
Oh, I love all
Oh, those many
Oh, charms about you, oh

Above all I want my arms about you
Ooo, don't be a naughty baby
Oh, why don't you come and get your baby, do
Call for an appointment
My sweet embraceable you
Never treats sweet an' gentle
The way he should
I got it bad, and that ain't good
(I got it good, and it ain't bad!)
My poor heart is sentimental
Not made of wood
(What do you think mine's made outta? Lasagna?)
I got it bad, and that ain't good
Ooo, and when the weekend's over
Baby, and Monday rolls around
My man and I, we gin some
And pray some and sin some
Lord up above me, please make him love me

Ooo, the way he should (I ain't gonna change!)
I got it bad, and that ain't good

Overall Meaning

The song "Embraceable You/I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good" is a medley of two classic love songs, originally written by George Gershwin and Duke Ellington respectively. The lyrics are sung by Keely Smith, Louis Prima, and Sam Butera, with a jazzy backing by The Witnesses. The first song, "Embraceable You," is a romantic ode to a lover, with the singer declaring their love for the object of their affection and describing the giddy feeling they get just from being in their presence. The second song, "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good," is a more melancholic reflection on love, with the singer lamenting the fact that their lover doesn't treat them as well as they should, and longing for their affection even though they know it's not good for them.

The lyrics of "Embraceable You" are full of romantic language and imagery, with the singer using phrases like "my sweet embraceable you" and "you irreplaceable you" to express their love for their partner. They also describe the physical effect that their lover has on them, with their heart going "tipsy" and the gypsy within them being awakened. The line "above all I want my arms about you" is particularly poignant, as it speaks to the deep desire that people have to be close to their loved ones. The lyrics of "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good" are more introspective and self-reflective, with the singer acknowledging that their heart is "sentimental" and easily swayed by the object of their affection, even when they don't treat them well. The line "Lord up above me, please make him love me / Ooo, the way he should" speaks to the universal desire to be loved and accepted for who we are, no matter what flaws we may have.

Line by Line Meaning

Embrace me, my sweet embraceable you
Hug me, embrace me, my darling and irreplaceable you.

Embrace me, you irreplaceable you
Hold me tight, you are unique and irreplaceable to me.

Baby, just one look at you My heart goes tipsy in me
My heart flutters and races when I see you, my dear.

You and you alone bring out the gypsy in me
Only you bring out the adventurer and wanderlust within me.

Oh, I love all Oh, those many Oh, charms about you, oh Above all I want my arms about you
I adore all of your many wonderful qualities, but most of all, I just want to hold you.

Ooo, don't be a naughty baby Oh, why don't you come and get your baby, do
Don't be mischievous, my love. Please come and be with me.

Call for an appointment My sweet embraceable you
I need you so much, my dear, that I wish I could make an appointment just to hold you.

Never treats sweet an' gentle The way he should
He doesn't treat me as sweet and gentle as he ought to.

I got it bad, and that ain't good (I got it good, and it ain't bad!)
I'm hopelessly in love, and it's not a good thing. (But I actually think it's pretty great!)

My poor heart is sentimental Not made of wood (What do you think mine's made outta? Lasagna?)
My heart is tender and emotional, not cold and unfeeling. (Do you really think my heart's made of pasta?)

Ooo, and when the weekend's over Baby, and Monday rolls around My man and I, we gin some And pray some and sin some Lord up above me, please make him love me Ooo, the way he should (I ain't gonna change!)
When the fun of the weekend is over, my man and I drink, pray, and make some mistakes. Dear God, please make him love me the way he should. (But I won't change who I am!)

I got it bad, and that ain't good
I am deeply and passionately in love, but that's not necessarily a good thing.

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE GERSHWIN, IRA GERSHWIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@MadredeAgua9

2y↑17

Great seeing Keely breaking character and enjoying herself while still singing with those great pipes of hers.

@Dobie_Gillis

2y↑13

This was the best of live TV including ad libs. Louie Prima carried the whole act.

@brocstarr

1y↑2

I'm 38 and i'm on a binge of Louis. Thanks AEW and MJF for singing Pennies from Heaven and opening my ears.

@thomasstoll5844

2y↑12

Never scene or heard this before. This is great! I'm 52 now and my Poppy Joe when i was a kid would play his 78's for me. All of which i still have and listen to sometimes....