It Ain't Necessarily So
Molly Johnson Lyrics


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It ain't necessarily so
It ain't necessarily so
The things that yo' liable to read in the Bible
It ain't necessarily so

Li'l David was small but oh my
Li'l David was small but oh my
He fought big Goliath who lay down and die-eth
Li'l David was small but oh my

Oh Jonah he lived in a whale
Oh Jonah he lived in a whale
For he made his home in dat fish's abdomen
Oh Jonah he lived in a whale

Li'l Moses was found in a stream
Li'l Moses was found in a stream

He floated on water 'til ole Pharaoh's daughter
She fished him she says from that stream

It ain't necessarily so
Ain?t necessarily so!
Dey tell all you chillun that debble's a villain
But ain?t necessarily so

Methus'lah lived nine hundred years
Methus'lah lived nine hundred years
But who calls dat livin' when no gal'll give in
To no man whose nine hundred years





It ain't necessarily so
It ain't necessarily so

Overall Meaning

"It Ain't Necessarily So" by Molly Johnson is a captivating remake of the song from the classic American opera Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin. Johnson's version is a soulful and jazzy take on the original tune, with the same unconventional and satirical lyrics. The melody plays with the idea that just because these stories are in the Bible does not mean that they are necessarily true.


The song begins by dismissing the Bible as the sole source of truth, as it says that not everything written in it is necessarily so. Lil' David "was small but oh my" and was able to defeat Goliath, who was much larger than him. It's possible that Goliath's death wasn't related to David's strength, but rather some other cause or trick. The following verse is equally critical, stating that Jonah's survival in the belly of a whale may have been a fabrication, and that it's unwarranted to believe these tales just because the Bible describes them.


The song is entertaining and thought-provoking in equal measure. In general, it aims to persuade people to question everything they believe in instead of blindly accepting it as absolute truth. This is in line with the notion of self-discovery and spiritual liberation, which is a guiding philosophy in jazz music.


Line by Line Meaning

It ain't necessarily so
Just because someone told you, doesn't mean it's true


It ain't necessarily so
Just because someone told you, doesn't mean it's true


The things that yo' liable to read in the Bible
Don't believe everything you read, even if it's in the Bible


It ain't necessarily so
Just because someone told you, doesn't mean it's true


Li'l David was small but oh my
David was small, but he was powerful and determined


Li'l David was small but oh my
David was small, but he was powerful and determined


He fought big Goliath who lay down and die-eth
David defeated Goliath, who was much bigger than him


Li'l David was small but oh my
David was small, but he was powerful and determined


Oh Jonah he lived in a whale
Jonah was swallowed by a whale and lived there for a while


Oh Jonah he lived in a whale
Jonah was swallowed by a whale and lived there for a while


For he made his home in dat fish's abdomen
Jonah lived in the belly of the whale


Oh Jonah he lived in a whale
Jonah was swallowed by a whale and lived there for a while


Li'l Moses was found in a stream
Moses was found in a stream when he was a baby


Li'l Moses was found in a stream
Moses was found in a stream when he was a baby


He floated on water 'til ole Pharaoh's daughter
Moses was floating on the river until Pharaoh's daughter rescued him


She fished him she says from that stream
Pharaoh's daughter rescued Moses from the stream


It ain't necessarily so
Just because someone told you, doesn't mean it's true


Ain't necessarily so!
It just might not be true


Dey tell all you chillun that debble's a villain
People say that the devil is evil


But ain?t necessarily so
But it might not be true


Methus'lah lived nine hundred years
Methuselah supposedly lived for 900 years


Methus'lah lived nine hundred years
Methuselah supposedly lived for 900 years


But who calls dat livin' when no gal'll give in
What's the point of living that long if you can't find someone to love you?


To no man whose nine hundred years
No woman wants to love a man who's been alive for 900 years


It ain't necessarily so
Just because someone told you, doesn't mean it's true


It ain't necessarily so
Just because someone told you, doesn't mean it's true




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: Dorothy Heyward, Du Bose Heyward, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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