I Got It Bad
Oscar Peterson and Ben Webster Lyrics
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Tell me to save my tears
Well I'm so mad about him
I can't live without him
Never treats me sweet and gentle
The way he should
I've got it bad
My poor heart is so sentimental
Not made of wood
I've got it so bad
And that ain't good
But when the fish are jumpin'
And Friday rolls around
My man an' I, we gin some
We pray some, and sin some
He don't love me like I love him
The way he should
I've got it bad
And that ain't good
Yes I've got it bad
And that ain't good
The lyrics of "I Got It Bad" by Oscar Peterson demonstrate the theme of unrequited love. The singer feels so in love with someone that they can't live without them. Despite advice from others to save their tears, the singer cannot help but feel mad about the person they love. The person they love does not treat them sweetly and gently, and this is causing the singer to feel emotionally unstable. Nevertheless, the singer cannot help but feel sentimental about their love, despite the fact that their love interest does not reciprocate the same level of emotion.
When the singer and her love interest are together, they engage in activities such as drinking gin, praying, and "sinning." These activities highlight the emotional turmoil the singer feels internally, as she knows that her love interest does not love her the way she loves him. The lyrics also suggest a cyclical pattern of behavior, where the person continues to engage in emotionally unhealthy behavior despite knowing the negative consequences. Oscar Peterson's use of upbeat, jazzy rhythms contrasts with the sad message of the lyrics and conveys the idea that even in moments of joy, the singer's love remains unfulfilled.
Overall, the lyrics of "I Got It Bad" illustrate the difficulty of unrequited love and the emotional turmoil that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Though folks with good intentions
Tell me to save my tears
Well I'm so mad about him
I can't live without him
Even though people mean well when they advise me to stop crying, I'm too passionate about him to let him go.
Never treats me sweet and gentle
The way he should
I've got it bad
And that ain't good
He doesn't treat me with the kindness and gentleness that I deserve, and it's causing me a lot of pain.
My poor heart is so sentimental
Not made of wood
I've got it so bad
And that ain't good
My heart is full of emotions and can't be easily controlled, and it's causing me a lot of distress.
But when the fish are jumpin'
And Friday rolls around
My man an' I, we gin some
We pray some, and sin some
Sometimes we have good moments together, like when we go fishing and spend time together on Fridays. We have our ups and downs like everyone else.
He don't love me like I love him
The way he should
I've got it bad
And that ain't good
I care for him deeply, but he doesn't reciprocate my feelings. It's causing me a lot of distress.
Yes I've got it bad
And that ain't good
Overall, my current situation is causing me a lot of pain and unhappiness.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Duke Ellington, Paul Francis Webster
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind