Roy David Eldridge (January 30, 1911 – February 26, 1989) was a jazz trumpe… Read Full Bio ↴Roy David Eldridge (January 30, 1911 – February 26, 1989) was a jazz trumpet player in the Swing era. His sophisticated use of harmony, including the use of tritone substitutions, resulted in him sometimes being seen as the link between Louis Armstrong-era swing music and Dizzy Gillespie-era bebop. Roy's rhythmic power to swing a band was a dynamic trademark of the Swing Era.

Eldridge was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His nickname was Little Jazz. Eldridge played in the bands of Fletcher Henderson, Gene Krupa and Artie Shaw before making records under his own name. He also played in Benny Goodman's and Count Basie's Orchestras, and co-led a band with Coleman Hawkins.

Oh Lady Be Good
Roy Eldridge Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Listen to my tale of woe,
It's terribly sad but true,
All dressed up, no place to go
Each evening I'm awfully blue.

I must win some handsome guy
Can't go on like this,
I could blossom out I know,

With somebody just like you. So

Oh, sweet and lovely lady, be good
Oh, lady, be good to me
I am so awfully misunderstood
So lady, be good to me
Oh, please have some pity
I'm all-alone in this big city
I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,
So lady be good to me.

Oh, please have some pity
I'm all alone in this big city
I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,

So lady be good to me.
Oh lady be good to me.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Roy Eldridge's song "Oh Lady Be Good" tell the story of a woman who is terribly sad and lonely. She dresses up every night, but has nowhere to go and feels blue. She longs to win the heart of a handsome man, someone who can appreciate her and treat her kindly. She believes that she can truly blossom with the help of a man like this.

The woman pleads with the lady in the song's title to be good to her. She is misunderstood and alone in a big city, feeling like a "lonesome babe in the wood." The lyrics of the song convey a sense of vulnerability and desperation that many people can relate to. The woman in the song just wants to be loved and cared for, like all human beings.

Overall, "Oh Lady Be Good" is a touching plea for understanding and compassion in a world that can be cruel and unforgiving. The song's lyrics are simple and straightforward, but they convey a deep sense of emotion and longing that is hard to resist.

Line by Line Meaning

Listen to my tale of woe,
Hear my sad story,

It's terribly sad but true,
It's an awful but honest experience,

All dressed up, no place to go
Dressed well, but nothing to do,

Each evening I'm awfully blue.
Every night, feeling extremely sad.

I must win some handsome guy
I need to find a good-looking guy,

Can't go on like this,
I can't keep living like this,

I could blossom out I know,
I can be better than this,

With somebody just like you. So
With someone like you, so please help me.

Oh, sweet and lovely lady, be good
Oh, dear lady, be kind,

Oh, lady, be good to me
Please be good to me,

I am so awfully misunderstood
I am extremely misjudged,