Safety Mama
by 
Bessie Smith 
recording of 
from 
Complete Recordings, Vol. 5: The Final Chapter (Columbia/Legacy 57546) 
Let me tell you how and why what no-good man done to me 
He called me pretty, young and wild, after that he let me be 
He'd taken advantage of my mouth, and that you understand 
So, wait a while, show you, chile, just how to treat a no-good man 
Make him stay at home, wash and iron, 
tell all the neighbors he done lost his mind 
Give your house rent shake 
on Saturday night 
Monday morning you'll hold collectors good and tight 
You see a man you really like 
Let him bite that monkey, brother, in his back 
When his cruel heart turn, his love breaks down 
hold him where you got him make him stay in town, 
'cause I'm a safety woman, lookin' for a safety man 
Make him stay at home, help me wash and iron, 
the neighbors know he done lost his mind 
I give a house rent shake on Saturday night 
Monday morning I held collectors good and tight 
I seen a man I really like 
I let him bite that monkey, brother, smack in his back 
When his cruel heart turn, his love breaks down 
I hold it where I had it and he stayed in town, 
I'm a safety woman, and I had to have a safety man 
I ain't good lookin', I'm built for speed 
I've got ev'rything a pigmeat needs 
'Cause I'm a safety woman, lookin' for a safety man 
__________ 
Note: having a house rent party was popular way of raising the money to pay the rent to the landlord or lady as well as other bills like gas, electricity and water.