Oh Lady Be Good
Southern Jazz 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 of "Oh Lady Be Good" by Southern Jazz tell the story of a woman who is terribly sad and lonely. She describes herself as "all dressed up, no place to go" and "awfully blue" every evening. She states that she must find a handsome man to win her heart, as she cannot continue living in this lonely state. She believes that if she found someone like the person she is addressing in the song, she could blossom out and be happy. She begs for pity and asks the lady to be good to her, as she is just a lonesome babe in the wood.


The song's lyrics are an embodiment of the popular jazz themes of love and loneliness. It speaks to the universal human experience of longing for companionship and love, especially in a world that often feels too big and overwhelming. The tune has a gentle, flowing rhythm, which enhances the bittersweet feeling of the lyrics.


Line by Line Meaning

Listen to my tale of woe,
I have a sad story to tell


It's terribly sad but true,
It is a truly depressing story


All dressed up, no place to go
I am ready for a good time but have nowhere to go


Each evening I'm awfully blue.
I'm sad every day


I must win some handsome guy
I need to find someone attractive and win them over


Can't go on like this,
I cannot continue living like this


I could blossom out I know,
I feel like I could really shine with the right person


With somebody just like you. So
Someone like you could really help me blossom


Oh, sweet and lovely lady, be good
Please be kind to me, sweet lady


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


I am so awfully misunderstood
People don't understand me and my struggles


So lady, be good to me
Please show me kindness, lady


Oh, please have some pity
Please feel sorry for me


I'm all alone in this big city
I am alone in a daunting environment


I tell you I'm just a lonesome babe in the wood,
I feel like I'm lost and vulnerable


So lady be good to me.
Please show me kindness, lady


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




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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions