ACT ONE
Scene 1
Catfish Row
(Evening, Catfish Row is quiet. Jasbo Brown is at the
piano, playing a low-down blues while half a dozen
couples dance in a slow, almost hypnotic rhythm.)
GROUP
Da-doo-da. Da-doo-da.
(As a rhythmic chant.)
Wa, wa, wa, wa. Da-doo-da. Da-doo-da.
(Lights find another group on stage, in the center of
which Clara sits with her baby in her arms, rocking it
back and forth.)
CLARA
Summertime and the livin' is easy,
Fish are jumpin', and the cotton is high.
Oh your daddy's rich, and your ma is good lookin',
So hush, little baby, don' yo' cry.
(Girls of chorus sing "OOH" behind Clara.)
One of these mornin's you goin' to rise up singin',
Then you'll spread yo' wings an' you'll take the sky.
But till that mornin', there's a-nothin' can harm you
With Daddy and Mammy standin' by.
(Lights come up on still another group,
this time a crap game.)
MINGO
Oh, nobody knows when the Lawd is goin' to call.
MEN
Roll dem bones, roll.
SPORTING LIFE
It may be in the summertime and maybe in the fall.
MEN
Roll dem bones, roll.
SPORTING LIFE
But you got to leave yo' baby and yo' home an' all,
So -
SPORTING LIFE, MEN
Roll dem bones, oh, my brudder, oh my brudder,
Oh my brudder,
Roll dem bones, roll dem bones, roll, roll.
(The stage grows lighter and Catfish Row takes up its
normal life; children pass, couples walk about, the crap
game continues.)
JAKE
(rolling dice)
Seems like these bones don't give me
nothin' but boxcars tonight.
It was the same two weeks ago,
an' the game broke me;
I don't likes that kind o' luck!
SPORTING LIFE
(Sporting Life produces own dice, but Mingo grabs
them)
Damn you, give me dem bones!
MINGO
What do you say to these, Jake?
JAKE
Them's the same cock-eyed bones
what clean the game out last Saturday night;
If they rolls in this game, I rolls out.
SERENA
(to Robbins)
Honey boy!
JAKE
Come on down, Robbins, we're waiting for you.
SERENA
Honey, don't play tonight. Do like I say.
ROBBINS
(to Serena)
I been sweatin' all day.
Night time is man's time.
He got a right to forget his troubles.
He got a right to play.
SERENA
If you hadn't been drinkin' you wouldn't
talk to me that way.
You ain't nebber hear Lord Jesus say
nuttin' 'bout got to play.
ROBBINS
There you go again.
Lissen what I say.
I works all the week; Sunday got to pray.
But Saturday night a man's got a right to play.
GROUP
A man's got a right to play.
ROBBINS
Yes, sir, that's right. That ole lady of mine is hell on
savin' money to join the buryin' lodge.
I says spend it while you is still alive and kickin'.
(Picks up dice and throws with grunt.)
JIM
(enters)
Lord, I is tired this night.
I'm done with cotton.
JAKE
Better come along with me on the Sea Gull.
I got room for another fisherman.
JIM
That suit me.
This cotton hook done swing its las' bale of cotton.
Here, who wants a cotton hook?
(Throws cotton hook to center of floor; children dive
for it; scramble.)
CLARA
(walking with baby)
Summertime and the livin' is easy.
Fish are jumping etc.
CRAP SHOOTERS
Seven come, seven come to pappy!
Throw that beautiful number!
Come seven to me! Yeah, man!
I'll bet yo' wrong.
I'll bet he's right! Gettin' hot!
CLARA
...Oh, yo' daddy's rich and yo' ma is good lookin'...
CRAP SHOOTERS
Come, seven! Shoot!
Made it! He made it!
CLARA
So hush, little baby, don't yo' cry!
CRAP SHOOTERS
Ol' man seven come down from heaven!
JAKE
(to Clara)
What, that chile ain't asleep yet? Give him to me.
I'll fix him for you.
(Jake takes the baby from Clara.)
Lissen to yo' daddy warn you,
'Fore you start a-travelling,
Woman may born you, love you and mourn you,
But a woman is a sometime thing,
Yes, a woman is a sometime thing.
MINGO
Oh, a woman is a sometime thing.
JAKE
Yo' mammy is the first to name you,
Then she'll tie you to her apron string,
Then she'll shame you and she'll blame you
Till yo' woman comes to claim you,
'Cause a woman is a sometime thing,
Yes, a woman is a sometime thing.
SPORTING LIFE
Oh, a woman is a sometime thing.
JAKE
Don't you never let a woman grieve you
Jus' cause she got yo' weddin' ring.
She'll love you and deceive you,
Take yo' clothes and leave you
'Cause a woman is a sometime thing.
ALL
Yes, a woman is a sometime thing.
Yes, a woman is a sometime thing,
Yes, a woman is a sometime thing.
JAKE
There now, what I tells you; he's asleep already.
(Baby wails.)
(Men at crap game laugh.)
CLARA
He got better sense than to listen to that nonsense.
(Carries baby out.)
ROBBINS
Come back, Jake, you make a better crap shooter.
PETER
(entering)
Here come de honey man.
Yes man, dis de honey man.
You got honey in de comb?
Yes man, I got honey in de comb.
An' is yo honey cheap?
Yes mam, my honey very cheap.
Here come de honey man.
ALL
Hello, Peter.
LILY
Well, here come my ol' man.
(Takes tray from his head.)
Now gimme the money! Now go sit and rest.
MARIA
You Scipio! Here come Porgy. Open the gate for him.
(Scipio opens one side of iron gate. Porgy enters in
goat cart; crowd greets him.)
JAKE
Here's the ol' crap shark!
MINGO
Now we'll have a game!
PORGY
Evenin' ladies, hello, boys!
Luck been ridin' high with Porgy today.
I got a pocket full of the Buckra money,
and it's goin' to any man
what got the guts to shoot it off me.
MINGO
Get on down, son we'll take it.
SPORTING LIFE
Lay it down.
ROBBINS
All right, mens, roll 'em.
We done wait long enough.
JIM
You bes' wait for Crown. I see him comin',
takin' the whole sidewalk,
And he looks like he ain't gonna stand no foolin'.
PORGY
Is Bess with him?
JAKE
Lissen to Porgy.
I think he's sof' on Crown's Bess.
(Men laugh.)
PORGY
I ain't nebber swap two words with Bess.
MARIA
Porgy got too good sense
to look twice at that liquor guzzlin' slut.
SERENA
That gal Bess ain't fit for Gawd fearin'
ladies to 'sociate with.
PORGY
Can't you keep yo' mouth off Bess.
Between Gawd fearin' ladies
and the Gawd damnin' men
that gal ain't got a chance.
JAKE
Ain' I tells you Porgy sof' on her?
PORGY
No, no, brudder, Porgy ain't sof' on no woman;
They pass by singin', they pass by cryin',
always lookin'.
They look in my do' an' they keep on movin'.
When Gawd make cripple,
He mean him to be lonely.
Night time, day time,
He got to trabble dat lonesome road.
Night time, day time,
He got to trabble dat lonesome road.
(Crown shouts off stage, frightening
children who scatter, yelling.)
MINGO
Here comes Big Boy!
JAKE
'Low, Crown.
JIM
'Low, Bess.
(General greetings.)
CROWN
Hi, boys! All right, Sporting Life,
give us a pint and make it damn quick.
(To Bess)
Pay him, Bess.
(Sporting Life pulls out flask and hands
it to Crown who takes long drink.)
JAKE
Drunk again!
PORGY
He sure love his liquor, but some day
she's gonna throw him down.
CROWN
That damn whiskey'-jus' as weak as water.
(Passes bottle to Bess.)
SERENA
See that hussy drinkin' like any man!
BESS
(offers bottle to Robbins)
Here, Robbins,
have one to the Gawd fearin' ladies.
There's nothin' like 'em, thank Gawd.
(Robbins drinks.)
CROWN
(snatching bottle)
Oh, no, you don't.
Nobody ain't drinkin' none of my licker.
(Throws down money.)
All right, mens, I'm talkin' to you.
Anybody answerin' me?
(All throw money down.)
ROBBINS
(throwing)
Boxcars again.
MINGO
Cover 'em, brother, cover 'em.
ROBBINS
Cover hell! I goin' to pass 'em along
and see if I can break my luck.
MINGO
Robbins' lady ain't allow him but
fifty cent and he can't take
no chances with bad luck.
(All laugh.)
BESS
That's all right, honey boy,
I'll stake you when yo' four bits done gone.
SERENA
Go ahead an' play.
You don't need no charity off no she-devils.
BESS
See what I gets for you.
Yo' woman is easy when you know the way.
JAKE
(throws)
Crapped out!
(Passes dice to Mingo.)
PORGY
(to Robbins)
Don't you ever let a woman grieve you.
PORGY, ALL
She'll love you and deceive you,
take yo' clothes and leave you
'Cause--
PORGY
A woman is a sometime thing.
ALL
Yes, a woman is a sometime thing.
SERENA
That gal ain't need to worry 'bout
no man marryin' her.
BESS
Some women got to marry a man to keep him.
CROWN
Shut yo' damn mouth!
You don't give Mingo a chance to talk to the bones.
MINGO
Fade me.
(All throw down money.)
Old snake-eye go off an' die.
Old man seven come down from heaven.
(Throws.)
Seven!
(Scoops up dice.)
CROWN
I ain't seen that seven yet.
You done turn 'em over.
MINGO
What I throw?
SPORTING LIFE
Seven.
Seven.
PORGY
He throw seven.
CROWN
Well there's more than one big mouth done meet his
Gawd for pullin' 'em in before I reads 'em see!
An' I'm sayin' it over tonight.
MINGO
Yo' mammy's gone and yo' daddy's happy
Come home little bones, come home to pappy.
(Throws.)
Four to make. Come four!
(Throws.)
PORGY
Crapped out!
CROWN
(Picking up dice.)
I shoots like that.
Come clean you little blackeyed bitches.
(Throws.)
MINGO
Six! Six!
SPORTING LIFE
Six to make!
JAKE
Six to make!
CROWN
(Produces rabbit's foot.)
Kiss rabbit foot and show these tinhorns how to hit.
(Throws.)
SPORTING LIFE
Crapped out, come to your pappy.
(Crown brushes Sporting Life back.)
ROBBINS
Crown too cock-eyed drunk to read 'em.
What the dice say, Bess?
BESS
Seven.
CROWN
I ain't drunk enough to read 'em.
That is the trouble. Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha!
Licker ain't strong enough.
Give me a pinch of happy dust, Sportin' Life.
(Sporting Life produces small paper from hat band.)
BESS
Don't give him that stuff, Sportin' Life.
He's ugly drunk already.
CROWN
Pay him an' shut up.
(Takes paper from Sporting Life and
inhales. Bess pays Sporting Life.)
PETER
Frien' an' dice an' happy dust
ain't meant to 'sociate...
You mens bes' go slow.
(Crown draws fist to Peter.)
JAKE
Leave Peter be, let him alone.
MINGO
He ain't mean no harm.
SPORTING LIFE
(throwing)
Huh, seven! Huh, seven! Huh, seven!
'Leven come home, Fido!
(Whistles, pulls pot in. All ante.)
CROWN
God damn it, I ain't read 'em yet.
MEN
Crown cockeyed drunk,
he can't tell dice from a watermelon;
Crown cockeyed drunk,
he can't tell dice from wa--
CROWN
Shut up!
SPORTING LIFE
Six to make!
(Shoots again.)
JIM
Seven!
MINGO
Crapped out!
JAKE
Seven, Seven!
(Porgy shoots now.)
PORGY
Oh, little stars, little stars,
Roll, roll, roll me some light,
(Throws.)
'Leven little stars, come home, come home,
(Pulls in pot, all ante.)
Roll dis poor beggar a sun an' a moon,
a sun an' a moon.
(Shoots.)
MINGO
Li'l Joe.
JIM
Little Joe.
PORGY
Oh, no, my brother, that ain't little Joe.
They is the monin' and the evenin' stars.
An' just you watch 'em rise and shine for
this poor beggar.
(Crown grabs his arm.)
Turn me loose.
(Shoots.)
JIM
Made 'em!
CROWN
Roll up that bastard's sleeve.
(Porgy pulls in pot, laughs, rolls up sleeve.)
Well, you got them damn dice, conjer them.
PORGY
Boy, boy, boy, I'm a crap shootin' idiot.
(Rolls.)
SPORTING LIFE, JAKE
Crapped out!
MINGO
Rolled out!
(Robbins takes up bones, shoots.)
ROBBINS
Nine to make, come nine!
(Throws again.)
Read 'em. Nine spot! Nine right!
(Sweeps up money, Crown seizes his wrist.)
CROWN
Touch that money an' meet yo' Gawd!
ROBBINS
Take yo' hand off me, you lousy houn'.
Han' me that brick behin' you.
(Pulls out of Crown's grasp.)
CROWN
Nobody's gettin' away with Crown's money.
I'm goin' kill dat bastard!
(Lunges at Robbins.)
MINGO
Looks like trouble to me;
He made his nine, he made his nine.
MARIA
There's gonna be a fight, look out!
Hold him back, Somebody hold them back,
Crown got murder in his eye!
Somebody hold them back!
PORGY
Crown's drunk, Robbins bes' take care, take care,
Robbins take care. Look out Robbins!
JIM
Dat's right.
Some one will sure get hurt.
SPORTING LIFE
Robbins ain't got a chance wid Crown,
he's too big.
(Crown and Robbins fight fiercely as
crowd holds Serena back.)
SERENA
Oh, stop them! Don't let them fight!
I warned him, oh! Won't somebody stop them,
Won't somebody stop them now!
Oh, stop them! etc.
BESS
Someone will surely get hurt, so stop,
won't somebody stop them!
Come on Crown, stop it. Oh! I'm so afraid!
I'm so afraid! Stop Crown!
Stop dem, make 'em cut it out!
MARIA
Ain't you men got better sense?
Such fools! Liquor always make trouble;
better put a stop to this fighting, it's awful,
it's simply awful! Someone stop the fight,
he will surely kill dat man!
PORGY
Crown is drunk, there's goin' to be some trouble.
Robbins, take care!
Oh, Lawd have mercy an' don' let Crown hurt Robbins!
This is de worst fight yet.
MINGO
Look out, be careful!
Someone is gonna get hurt!
He'll kill 'im! He'll kill 'im! Crown's had too much
Crown is like a debbil when he's drinkin' like a fool.
Stop!
SPORTING LIFE
Crown cock-eyed drunk, he don' know what he's doin'.
Yes sir, Crown has had a little but too much.
Crown's had too much, Crown is like a debbil etc.
JAKE
This looks like a real fight, Robbins done for.
Oh, Crown is actin very bad, bad, bad.
Come on, let's stop dem now, come on, let's stop dem!
Dis Crown is like a debbil etc.
WOMEN
Oh, stop them, someone will get hurt!
Why must people fight?
Crown is a bad, bad bizness when he's drunk!
Why mus' they fight, won' somebody
please goin' an' stop dem now!
MEN
Crown is drunk! Robbins got no chance,
oh Robbins got no chance!
Crown is a bad, bad bizness when he's drunk!
Something mighty bad is boun' to happen!
Hold dem back! Won't some one hol' dem back
some one hol'dem back!
(Crown throws Robbins down. They fight
fiercely; Crown jerks out his cotton hook.)
WOMEN
Can't anybody make Crown stop,
Can't anybody make Crown stop?
Lawd, please make dem stop!
MEN
Robbins is gone, Yes, suh!
He's got no chance! No suh!
Lawd, please make dem stop!
(Suddenly Crown stabs Robbins with cotton hook.
Robbins falls dead. Serena screams.)
MINGO
Jesus, he killed him!
(Serena flings herself upon the body.)
BESS
Wake up an' hit it out.
You ain't got no time to lose.
CROWN
What the matter?
BESS
You done kill Robbins and the police will be comin'.
(She shakes him to his senses. The entire
crowd disperses in various directions.)
CROWN
Where you goin' hide?
They know you an' I pulls together.
BESS
Some man always willin' to take care of Bess.
CROWN
Well, get this: whoever he is, he's temporary.
I'm comin' back when the hell dies down.
BESS
All right, only get out now. Here, take this.
(She takes money from stocking and gives it to him. He
disappears. Bess runs senses Sporting Life behind her.)
That you, Sportin' Life?
SPORTING LIFE
Sure, and I's the only friend you got left.
BESS
For Gawd's sake, give me a touch of happy dust.
I shakin' so I can hardly stand.
(He gives her powder.)
SPORTING LIFE
Listen, I'll be goin' to New York soon.
I'll hide you out and take you with me.
Why you an' me will make a swell team.
BESS
I ain't come to that yet.
SPORTING LIFE
Well, the cops ain't goin' find me here
for no woman.
(Slinks out. Bess looks for shelter, knocks at
doors. They are locked or slammed in her face.)
MARIA
You done bring trouble enough,
get out before the police come.
BESS
You wouldn't have a heart and let me in?
MARIA
Not till hell freeze!
BESS
Who live over there?
MARIA
That's Porgy, he ain't no use to your kind,
he's a cripple and a beggar.
BESS
Come on, Please let me in!
(Bess moves toward the gate. As she reaches it, police
whistle sends her back. She turns back, frightened
Porgy's door opens. Porgy stretches out hand to her.
Shuddering away from Serena and the body, she goes
to Porgy's door. Porgy reaches for Bess' hand. She
enters his room.)
Scene 2
(Serena's Room. Robbins's body lies on the bed,
a saucer on his chest. The room is filled with
mourners who drop money in the saucer)
WOMAN
Where is brudder Robbins?
ALL
He's a-gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone.
WOMAN
I seen him in de mornin' wid his work clo'es on
ALL
But he's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone.
MAN
An' I seen him in the noontime straight and tall,
But death acome awalkin' in the evenin' fall
ALL
An' he's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone.
WOMAN
An' death touched Robbins wid a silver knife
ALL
An' he's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone.
MAN
An' he's sittin' in de garden by de tree of life.
ALL
An' he's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone.
Robbins is gone, gone, gone, etc.
SERENA
Who's dat acomin' climbin' up my steps?
MARIA
It's Porgy, an' Bess is ahelpin' him.
SERENA
What's dat woman comin' here for?
(Porgy and Bess enter. Bess advances
toward bier, money in hand.)
SERENA
I don't need yo' money for to bury my man.
BESS
Dis ain't Crown's money.
Porgy give me my money now.
SERENA
All right, then.
You can put it in the saucer.
(Bess puts money in the saucer.)
WOMAN
Come on, sister, come on, brudder,
Fill up the saucer till it overflow,
GROUP
Overflow, overflow.
Fill up de saucer till it overflow.
JAKE
Yes, my Jesus, overflow.
FIRST WOMAN
'Cause de Lawd will meet you,
Yes, de Lawd will meet you at the courthouse do'-
ALL
Court-house do', court-house do',
De Lawd will meet you at the court-house do'.
JAKE
Yes, my Jesus, court-house do'.
PETER
How de saucer stand now, my sister?
CHORUS
Oh, he's gone, gone, gone, etc.
SERENA
Fourteen dollars an' fifty cent.
MARIA
Dat's a-comin' on, sister, you can bury him soon.
SERENA
What am I goin' to do if I ain' got the money?
PORGY
Gawd got plenty of money for de saucer.
SERENA
Bless de Lord!
PORGY
An' he goin' to soffen dese people heart for
to fill de saucer till he spill all over.
ALL
Amen, my Jesus!
PORGY
De Lawd will provide a grave for his chillen.
CLARA
Bless the Lord!
PORGY
An' he got comfort for de widder.
ALL
Oh, my Jesus!
PORGY
An' he goin' feed his fadderless chillen.
ALL
Yes Lawd, Truth Lawd!
PORGY
An' he goin' raise dis poor sinner up out of de grave.
JAKE
Allelujah!
PORGY
An' set him in de shinin' seat ob de righteous.
SERENA
Amen, my Jesus!
ALL
Overflow, overflow,
Oh fill up de saucer till it overflow,
Everybody helpin' now - sendin' our brudder to heaven,
Lawd, Oh Lawd, send down your angels!
Robbins is rising to heaven!
PORGY
Oh, sufferin' Jesus!
You knows right from wrong.
You knows Robbins was a good man,
an' now he's weary an' he's goin' home.
Reach down yo' lovin han' an' take our
brudder to yo' bosom.
Thank you, Lawd, Bless you Lawd.
Lawd will fill de saucer, over, overflow, Oh!
ALL
Overflow, overflow, Oh Lawd will fill de saucer,
Ev'rybody helpin' now etc.
Robbins is risin' to heaven! etc. -till it overflow, Oh!
(Detective enters with policeman.)
DETECTIVE
Um! A saucer-burial setup, I see.
You're his widow?
SERENA
Yes, suh.
DETECTIVE
He did not leave any burial insurance?
SERENA
No, boss, he didn't leave nuttin'.
DETECTIVE
Well, see to it he's buried tomorrow.
(to Peter)
You killed Robbins an' I'm going to hang you for it!
LILY
He ain't don um!
PETER
What he say?
LILY
He say you kill Robbins.
DETECTIVE
Come along now!
PETER
'Fore Gawd, boss, I ain't never done um!
DETECTIVE
Who did it, then?
You heard me, who did it?
PETER
Crown done it, boss. I done see him do it.
DETECTIVE
You're sure you saw him?
PETER
I swear to Gawd, boss,
I was right there beside him.
DETECTIVE
(laughs)
That's easy. I thought as much.
(to Porgy)
You. You saw it too.
I don't want to have to put the law on you.
Look at me, you damn dummy!
PORGY
I don't know nuttin' 'bout it, boss.
DETECTIVE
That's your room in the corner, ain't it?
PORGY
Yes, boss, dat's my room.
DETECTIVE
The door opens on the court, don't it?
PORGY
Yes, boss, my door opens on the court.
DETECTIVE
An' yet you didn't see or hear anything?
PORGY
I don't know nuttin' 'bout it, boss. I been asleep inside,
and my door been closed.
DETECTIVE
You're a damn liar.
(indicating Peter)
He saw the killing;
take him along and lock him up as a material witness.
POLICEMAN
Come along, uncle.
PETER
I ain't done it, boss.
MARIA
How long you goin' lock him up for?
POLICEMAN
Till we catch Crown.
PORGY
I reckon Crown done loose now in de palmetto thickets,
an' dere ain' no rope long enough to hang him.
DETECTIVE
Then the old man's out of luck.
Remember, you've got to bury that body tomorrow
or the board of health will take him an' turn him
over to the medical students.
Come on, get the old man in the wagon.
PETER
I ain't never done nuttin', boss.
(They drag him off.)
I swear to Gawd I ain' never done nuttin'.
(The sound of the wagon's bell fades away
in the distance.)
PORGY
I can't puzzle this thing out. Peter was a good man,
but dat lousy Crown was a killer
and forever gettin' into trouble.
JAKE
That's the truth, brother.
PORGY
And there go Peter to be lock up like a thief.
JAKE
Like a thief.
PORGY
An' here be Robbins with his wife
and his fadderless chillen,
an' Crown done gone his ways drinkin',
gamblin', swearin',
to do the same thing over and over somewheres else.
ALL
Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone.
SERENA
My man's gone now,
Ain't no use alistenin'
For his tired foot-steps
Climbin' up de stairs. Ah!
Ole Man Sorrow
Come to keep me comp'ny,
Whisperin' beside me
When I say my prayers. Ah-
Ain't dat I min' workin'·
Work an' me is travellers
Journeyin' togedder
To de promise land.
But Ole Man Sorrow's
Marchin' all de way wid me
Tellin' me I'm ole now
Since I lose my man.
ALL
Since she lose her man.
SERENA
Since I lose my man.
ALL
Ah!
SERENA
Ole Man Sorrow sittin' by de fireplace,
lyin' all night long by me in de bed.
Tellin' me de same thing mornin', noon an' eb'nin'.
That I'm all alone now since my man is dead.
Ah! Since my man is dead!
ALL
Ah!
SERENA
Ah!
UNDERTAKER
(entering)
How de saucer stan' now, my sister?
SERENA
There ain't but fifteen dollar.
UNDERTAKER
Hum! Can't bury him for fifteen dollar.
JAKE
He got to be buried tomorrow or the board of health
will take him and give him to the medical students.
UNDERTAKER
(kindly)
Life is hard, brudder, but we all got to live.
It cos' money for to bury a grown man.
SERENA
Oh, for Gawd sake,
bury him in the grave yard...
Don't let the students take him
to cut up an' scatter.
I goin' to work on Monday, an' I swear to Gawd,
I goin' pay you ev'ry cent.
UNDERTAKER
All right, sister,
wit the box an' one carriage,
it'll cos' me more'n twenty-five,
but I'll see you through.
PORGY
Jesus bless you, my brudder.
UNDERTAKER
You can all be ready tomorrow mornin'.
It's a long trip to the cemetery.
(He leaves.)
GROUP
Oh, he's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
BESS
(suddenly jumping up)
Oh, the train is at the station
An' you better get on board
'Cause it's leavin' today.
ALL
Leavin' today, leavin' today.
BESS
Oh, the train is at the station
An' you better get on board,
'Cause it's leavin' today,
'An it's headin' for The Promise Lan'.
ALL
Headin' for the Promise' Lan'.
BESS
Oh, we're leavin' for the Promise Lan'
Leavin' for the Promise' Lan'.
BESS, ALL
Keep that drivin' wheel arollin', rollin' Let it roll...
Until we meet our brudder in the Promise' Lan'.
BESS
Oh, I got my ticket ready
an' de time is gettin' short
'Cause we're leavin' today.
BESS, ALL
Leavin' today, leavin' today.
BESS
Oh, I got my ticket ready
an' de time is gettin' short
'Cause we're leavin' today,
an' we're headed for the Promise Lan'.
ALL
...headed for the Promise Lan'
BESS
Oh, we're leavin' for the Promise Lan'
Leavin' for the Promise' Lan'.
BESS, ALL
Keep that drivin' wheel arollin', rollin` Let it roll...
Until we meet our brudder in the Promise' Lan'.
ALL
Oh, we're leavin' for the Promise' Lan'
an' you better get on board all you sinners,
oh, you better get on board.
'Cause we're leavin' etc...
'Cause we're leavin' for the Lan', Oh!
Keep that drivin' wheel arollin', rollin' 'til
we meet our brudder in the Promise' Lan'.