Bessie Smith

C F F#dim C Am D7 F C F

[verse 1]
C          C/G    Am     D7    
Bessie was more than just a 
         F  G
friend of mine
C              E                  
We shared the  good times with the
 Am   D7   F
 bad
C   C/G    Am         D7       
Now many a   year has passed me
      F  G
 by
C          E            Am      
I still recall the best thing I 
         F
ever had


[chorus]

C                                 
I'm just goin' down the road t' 
  F
see Bessie
C                G
Oh, See her soon
C                           F     
Goin' down the road t' see Bessie 
F#dim
Smith
       C    Am        D7        
When I get  there I'm wondering 
F              C   F
what she'll do

[verse 2]

C   C/G     Am     D7           
Now all the crazy things I had 
   F  G
to try
C              E                  
Well I tried them all and then 
 Am   D7   F
some
C   C/G       Am        D7     
But if you're lucky one day you
        F  G
 find out
C          E            Am      
Where it is you're really comin'
         F
 from

[chorus]

C                                 
I'm just goin' down the road t' 
  F
see Bessie
Continues after the ad
C                G
Oh, See her soon
C                           F     
Goin' down the road t' see Bessie 
F#dim
Smith
       C    Am        D7        
When I get  there I'm wondering 
F              C   F
what she'll do

[verse 3]

C          C/G    Am     D7    
Now in my day I've made some 
         F  G
foolish moves
C              E                  
But back then, I didn't worry 
 Am   D7   F
'bout a thing
C   C/G    Am      D7           
And now again I still wonder to 
  F  G
myself
C                 E          Am 
Was it her sweet love or the way
                      F
 that she could sing

[chorus]

C                                 
I'm just goin' down the road t' 
  F
see Bessie
C                G
Oh, See her soon
C                           F     
Goin' down the road t' see Bessie 
F#dim
Smith
       C    Am        D7        
When I get  there I'm wondering 
F              C   F
what she'll do

[verse 4]

C          C/G    Am     D7    
There's so much time has gone 
         F  G
right on by
C        E               Am     
I didn't think one could be so 
     D7   F
wrong
C   C/G       Am          D7   
And then one night I was 
                  F  G
drinkin' and a-thinkin'
C                      E         
In the bottom of the glass I 
      Am                    F
could see Bessie's face so strong

[chorus]

C                                 
I'm just goin' down the road t' 
  F
see Bessie
C                G
Oh, See her soon
C                           F     
Goin' down the road t' see Bessie 
F#dim
Smith
       C    Am        D7        
When I get  there I'm wondering 
F              C   F
what she'll do

[verse 5]

C             C/G         Am    
When she sees me will she know 
        D7             F  G
what I've been through?
C              E         Am     
Will old times start to feelin' 
      D7   F
like new?
C    C/G    Am            D7   
When I get there will our love 
                F  G
still feel so true?
C         E               Am    
Yet all I have, I'll be 
          F  G
a-bringin' it to you
C          E         Am        F
Oh Bessie, sing them old-time blues

[chorus]

C                                 
I'm just goin' down the road t' 
  F
see Bessie
C                G
Oh, See her soon
C                           F     
Goin' down the road t' see Bessie 
F#dim
Smith
       C    Am        D7        
When I get  there I'm wondering 
F              C   F
what she'll do