Ah Still Suits Me
Composer(s): Oscar Hammerstein II - Jerome Kern
Performer(s): Paul Robeson & Hattie McDaniel
and multiple other artists
(The kitchen
Joe is shelling peas
The show boat is rocking violently on the swollen river
A lurch of the boat sends the boat of shelled peas to the floor
Joe looks down at them dubiously
Queenie enters)
Queenie:
Joe! Dere you go again! Look at dem peas all over de floor!
Joe:
River done it...
Queenie:
De river done it?!?
Joe:
Ol' river can do mos' anything, Queenie
Look out dere what it's doin' now - won't be letting us give no show tonight
(Queenie gets on her knees and proceeds
to put the peas back in the bowl)
Queenie;
Show? Dat don't worry me none
Dere's somethin' else on dis ol' boat worries me mo'
Joe:
Miss Nola?
Queenie:
Dat's what...
Joe
She be all right
Queenie:
Dat's what you say 'bout ev'rythin'
You don't get excited
Why? 'Cause you don't do nuthin'
You don' cook like me
You don' act like the show folk
You don' work on the tow boat
What do you do?
Joe:
Well, I jes' shelled dem peas
Queenie:
(snorting)
You ain't pickin' dem up
Joe:
No, but I could've ef you didn't do it
I could do a lot of things ef it wuz necessary
Queenie:
Den why don'cha?
Joe:
It ain't necessary...
(He starts to sing, extemporaneously rhyming, stating his mood of the moment
He sings as Queenie goes about her work)
Joe:
Keep on a-naggin'
'n bullyraggin'
'n criticizin'
'n call me pizen
Ah ain't apologizin', no siree!
No matter what you say
Ah still suits me
De rag you're chewin'
Mus' be a ruin
Keep right on knockin'
Keep right on mockin'
Mah rockin' chair ain't rockin'
No siree!
No matter what you say
Ah still suits me
Queenie:
(coming over to him, belligerently)
Does you ever wash the dishes?
Does you do the things I wishes?
Does you do dem?
No, you don't!
Will you do dem?
No, you won't!
When dere's any workin' to it
I'm de one dat's gotta do it!
When it's rainin' who's the feller
Uses up the whole umbreller?
Selfish as a man can be!
Joe:
(looking up blandly)
No matter what you say
Ah still suits me
Queenie:
You don' make money!
Joe:
Ah know dat, honey!
Queenie:
I never see none!
Joe:
Ain't gonna be none
But dat don' worry me none
No siree!
Queenie:
Shif'less! Lifeless! No good!
Joe:
No matter what you say
Ah still suits me
I may be no good
No good fo' yo' good
I may be lifeless
But wid one wife less
Mah life would be mo' strifeless
Yes siree!
No matter what you say
Ah still suits me
(imitating Queenie with falsetto exaggeration)
Does you ever wash de dishes?
Does you do de things ah wishes?
Does you do dem?
No you don't!
Will you do dem?
No, you won't!
Queenie:
(interrupting)
Always imitatin' me
An' always aggravation' me!
Den in spite of ev'rything
'Spite of all de grief you bring
'Xpectin' me to love you true!
Joe:
No matter what you say
Ah thinks you do
(He reaches out and pulls her to him affectionately
She roars with glee)
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