Pirate Jenny (Live At Carnegie Hall, New York, 1964)

Pirate Jenny (Live At Carnegie Hall, New York, 1964) - Nina Simone

Written by：Bertolt Brecht/Kurt Weill/Marc Blitzstein

You people can watch while I'm scrubbing these floors

And I'm scrubbin the floors while you're gawking

Maybe once ya tip me and it makes ya feel swell

In this crummy southern town

In this crummy old hotel

But youll never guess to who you're talkin

No you couldn't ever guess to who you're talkin

Then one night theres a scream in the night

And youll wonder who could that have been

And you see me kinda grinnin while I'm scrubbin

And you say what's she got to grin

Ill tell you

Theres a ship

The black freighter

With a skull on its masthead

Will be coming in

You gentlemen can say hey gal finish them floors

Get upstairs what's wrong with you earn your keep here

You toss me your tips

And look out to the ships

But I'm counting your heads

As I'm making the beds

Cuz theres nobody gonna sleep here honey

Nobody

Nobody

Then one night theres a scream in the night

And you say whos that kicking up a row

And ya see me kinda starin out the winda

And you say what's she got to stare at now

Ill tell ya

Theres a ship

The black freighter

Turns around in the harbor

Shootin guns from her bow

Now

You gentlemen can wipe off that smile off your face

Cause every building in town is a flat one

This whole frickin place will be down to the ground

Only this cheap hotel standing up safe and sound

And you yell why do they spare that one

Yes

Thats what you say

Why do they spare that one

All the night through through the noise and to-do

You wonder who is that person that lives up there

And you see me stepping out in the morning

Looking nice with a ribbon in my hair

And the ship

The black freighter

Runs a flag up its masthead

And a cheer rings the air

By noontime the dock

Is a-swarmin with men

Comin out from the ghostly freighter

They move in the shadows

Where no one can see

And theyre chainin up people

And theyre bringin em to me

Askin me

Kill them now or later

Askin me

Kill them now or later

Noon by the clock

And so still by the dock

You can hear a foghorn miles away

And in that quiet of death

Ill say right now

Right now

Then they'll pile up the bodies

And Ill say

Thatll learn ya

And the ship

The black freighter

Disappears out to sea

And

On

It

Is

Me