I Got It Bad
The Red Holloway/Clark Terry Sextet 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 to The Red Holloway/Clark Terry Sextet's song I Got It Bad express the feeling of being deeply and hopelessly in love with someone who does not treat you as well as they should. The singer acknowledges that others may advise her to move on and forget about the person causing her pain, but she cannot help her feelings. She is so madly in love with this person that she cannot bear the thought of living without them, despite the fact that they do not treat her with the sweetness and gentleness that she deserves.
The song's opening lyrics, “Though folks with good intentions, Tell me to save my tears” sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer knows that she is in a bad situation, but cannot help herself. She is a victim of her own emotions and in love with someone who doesn't love her back in the same way. The lines, “But when the fish are jumpin', And Friday rolls around, My man an' I, we gin some, We pray some, and sin some” illustrate the complexity of the situation. The singer and her lover have good times together but also engage in destructive behavior.
Overall, the lyrics express the agony of being in love with someone who does not love you back in the same way. The singer knows she is in a bad situation but cannot help her emotions. The song is a powerful lament on the pain that love can cause.
Line by Line Meaning
Though folks with good intentions
Tell me to save my tears
People with kind hearts advise me to not cry
Well I'm so mad about him
I can't live without him
I am deeply in love with him and can't live without him
Never treats me sweet and gentle
The way he should
He doesn't treat me with the tenderness I deserve
I've got it bad
And that ain't good
I am in deep, unrequited love and it's not good for me
My poor heart is so sentimental
Not made of wood
My heart is very sensitive and fragile, unlike wood
I've got it so bad
And that ain't good
My love for him is so strong but it's not a good thing
But when the fish are jumpin'
And Friday rolls around
When the fish are active and it's Friday
My man an' I, we gin some
We pray some, and sin some
My partner and I drink, pray, and indulge ourselves
He don't love me like I love him
The way he should
His love for me is not reciprocated in the way it should be
I've got it bad
And that ain't good
My love for him is unrequited and causing me pain
Yes I've got it bad
And that ain't good
I am deeply in love and it is not good for me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Duke Ellington, Paul Francis Webster
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind