Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey
Lottie Kimbrough
Lottie Kimbrough
Ida Cox
Ida Cox
Edmonia Henderson
Edna Hicks
Edna Hicks
Priscilla Stewart
Priscilla Stewart
Thelma La Vizzo
Thelma La Vizzo
James Blythe
James Blythe
Trixie Smith
Trixie Smith
Maggie Jones
Maggie Jones
Monette Moore
Monette Moore
Trixie Smith
Trixie Smith
Ida Cox
Ida Cox
Anna Lee Chisholm
Anna Lee Chisholm
Ethel Waters
Ethel Waters
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey
Jelly Roll Morton
Jelly Roll Morton
Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartette
Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartette
Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartette
Papa Charlie Jackson
Papa Charlie Jackson
Ida Cox
Ida Cox
Sunset Four Quartette
Sunset Four Quartette
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey
Kitty Brown & Leroy Morton
Kitty Brown & Leroy Morton
Priscilla Stewart
Priscilla Stewart
Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartette
Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartette
Eddie Green & Billie Wilson
Eddie Green & Billie Wilson
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey
Ida Cox
Ida Cox
Ethel Waters
Ethel Waters
Sodarisa Miller
Sodarisa Miller
Trixie Smith
Trixie Smith
Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartette
Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartette
Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartette
Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartette
Lottie Kimbrough
Lottie Kimbrough
Papa Charlie Jackson
Papa Charlie Jackson
Ida Cox
Ida Cox
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey
Edmonia Henderson
Edmonia Henderson
Priscilla Stewart
Priscilla Stewart
Sunset Four Quartette
Sunset Four Quartette
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey
Sodarisa Miller
Sodarisa Miller
Ford and Ford
Ford and Ford
Trixie Smith
Trixie Smith
Jimmy O’Bryant & James Blythe & Jasper Taylor
Jimmy O’Bryant & Jasper Taylor & James Blythe
Ukulele “Bob” Williams
Ukulele “Bob” Williams
Julia Davis (1920s Blues Singer)
Julia Davis (1920s Blues Singer)
The Down Home Syncopaters & Trixie Smith
The Down Home Syncopaters & Trixie Smith
Thelma La Vizzo
Ida Cox
Ida Cox
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey
Priscilla Stewart
Priscilla Stewart
Lottie Kimbrough
Lottie Kimbrough
Lovie Austin’s Blues Serenaders
Lovie Austin’s Blues Serenaders
Trixie Smith
Trixie Smith
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey
Ida Cox
Ida Cox
Papa Charlie Jackson
Papa Charlie Jackson
Jimmy O’Bryant’s Washboard Band
Jimmy O’Bryant’s Washboard Band
Sodarisa Miller
Sodarisa Miller
Trixie Smith
Trixie Smith
Ida Cox
Ida Cox
Papa Charlie Jackson
Papa Charlie Jackson
Jimmy O’Bryant’s Washboard Band
Jimmy O’Bryant’s Washboard Band &
Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartette
Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartette
Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartette
Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartette
Norfolk Jazz & Jubilee Quartette
Leola B. “Coot Grant” Wilson
Sunset Four Quartette
Sunset Four Quartette
Professor J. Wesley Jones and Community Choristers
Sodarisa Miller
Sodarisa Miller
Jimmy O’Bryant’s Washboard Band
Lovie Austin’s Blues Serenaders
Lovie Austin’s Blues Serenaders & Priscilla Stewart
Lovie Austin’s Blues Serenaders & Priscilla Stewart
Jones’ Paramount Charleston Four
Jones’ Paramount Charleston Four
Papa Charlie Jackson
Papa Charlie Jackson
Ida Cox
Ida Cox
Lovie Austin’s Blues Serenaders
Lovie Austin’s Blues Serenaders
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey
Sunset Four Quartette
Sunset Four Quartette
Priscilla Stewart
Priscilla Stewart
Jimmy O’Bryant’s Washboard Band
Jimmy O’Bryant’s Washboard Band
Jimmy O’Bryant’s Washboard Band
Papa Charlie Jackson
Papa Charlie Jackson
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey
Ida Cox
Ida Cox
Sunset Four Quartette
Sodarisa Miller
Sodarisa Miller
Jimmy O’Bryant’s Washboard Band
Jimmy O’Bryant’s Washboard Band
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey
Papa Charlie Jackson
Papa Charlie Jackson
Jimmy O’Bryant’s Washboard Band
Jimmy O’Bryant’s Washboard Band
Ida Cox
Ida Cox
Priscilla Stewart
Priscilla Stewart
[Verse]
Mary Lee was built for havin' monkey men
She would always take their money but never would lend
Every man she'd meet, she'd tell him what it's all about
She told the whole wide world she wasn't puttin' nothin' out
Then she fell in love with her Benny Snow
Gave up all her monkey men, and soon her money was gone
Then she called her Benny and she asked him for a loan
Benny loudly started on the telephone:
[Chorus]
"You'd better be yourself, don't be funny
Just be yourself, don't ask me for money
I don't know what's the matter with you
You just done somethin' I don't want you to do
Don't you know I ain't puttin' out
I want you to realize without a doubt
I ain't givin' nothin' to nobody no time
Honey, be yourself"
[Instrumental Break]
Ah, be yourself, girl, be yourself
[Chorus]
"You'd better be yourself, don't be funny
Just be yourself, don't ask me for money
I don't know what's the matter with you
You just done somethin' I don't want you to do
I'm nice and kind, not hard to please
But when you ask for money, I get heart disease
I ain't giving nothin' to nobody no time
Honey, please be yourself, I mean
Honey, please be yourself"
Be Yourself was written by Aletha Dickerson.