(sings:)
Fish got to swim, birds got to fly,
I got to love one man till I die
Can't help lovin' dat man of mine.
MAGNOLIA
That's it...
(QUEENIE, re-entering, stops in her tracks and looks puzzled)
JULIE
Tell me he's lazy, tell me he's slow,
Tell me I'm crazy (maybe I know)
Can't help lovin' dat man of mine.
QUEENIE
How come y'all know dat song?
(JULIE stops abruptly, a swift terror steals across her face, and
quickly vanishes - succeeded by an expression of stolid caution)
MAGNOLIA
Why? Do you know it, Queenie?
QUEENIE
F'sho' ah does - but ah didn't ever hear anybody but colored folks sing
dat song - sounds funny for Miss Julie to know it -
MAGNOLIA
Why, Julie sings it all the time.
QUEENIE
Kin y'sing de whole thing?
JULIE
'Course I can
(almost fiercely)
What's so funny about that?
(She starts to sing in an attitude of defiance,
then lapsing into the "blue" spirit of the song)
Oh, listen, sister,
I love my mister man,
And I can't tell yo' why.
Dere ain't no reason
Why I should love dat man -
It mus' be sumpin' dat de angels done plan.
Fish got to swim, birds got to fly,
I got to love one man till I die -
Can't help lovin' dat man of mine.
Tell me he's lazy, tell me he's slow,
Tell me I'm crazy (maybe I know)-
Can't help lovin' dat man of mine.
When he goes away
Dat's a rainy day,
But when he comes back dat day is fine,
(carried away)
De sun will shine!
(QUEENIE goes on beating time with a spoon)
He kin come home as late as kin be,
Home widout him ain't no home to me -
Can't help lovin' dat man of mine!
QUEENIE
(tickled to death)
Dat's beautiful, Miss Julie -
JOE
(entering, eating an apple)
Was dat you, Miss Julie? Dat's mah favorite song!
QUEENIE
(singing "at" Joe)
Mah man is shif'less
An' good for nuthin' too
(He's mah man jes' de same)
He's never round here
When dere is work to do -
(Looking hard at JOE. Two COLORED SERVANTS enter from R.)
He's never round here when dere's workin' to do.
JOE
He's never round yo' when dere's workin' to do.
(Another colored helper comes on from L. and listens, entranced)
QUEENIE
De chimbley's smokin',
De roof is leakin' in,
But he don' seem to care.
He kin be happy wid jes' a sip of gin -
JOE
Why you all talk 'bout gin?
QUEENIE
Ah even loves him when his kisses got gin!
JULIE, QUEENIE & SERVANTS
Fish got to swim and birds got to fly,
I got to love one man till I die -
Can't help lovin' dat man of mine.
Tell me he's lazy, tell me he's slow,
Tell me I'm crazy (maybe I know)
Can't help lovin' dat man of mine.
When he goes away, dat's a rainy day,
But when he comes back, dat day is fine,
De sun will shine!
He kin come home as late as kin be,
Home widout him ain't no home to me -
Can't help lovin' dat man of mine!
JOE
While de birds fly, till de world dies,
I'll love dat gal of mine
(Or else she ain't my gal!)
She's lazy and slow, crazy, I know.
Can't help lovin' dat gal.
(She's jes' as crazy 'bout me!)
When I goes away, all de rainy day,
An' when I comes back, dat day is fine,
Yes, sister.
She kin come home as late as kin be,
Home widout her ain't no home to me,
Can't help lovin' dat gal of mine!
TWO MALE SERVANTS
While de birds fly up in de sky
My gal loves me;
Dat's why she's true gal of mine
She may be lazy and slow as cold molasses, I know,
Can't help lovin' dat gal of mine!
When I goes away, dat's lovin'
all de rainy day, dat's lovin',
An' when I comes back dat day is fine,
Yes, sister!
She kin come home as late as kin be,
Home widout her ain't no home to me,
Can't help lovin' dat gal of mine!
(MAGNOLIA has started to do the shuffle)
JOE
Look at dat little gal shuffle!
(MAGNOLIA dances. QUEENIE and JOE egg her on, ad lib)
JULIE, QUEENIE & WOMEN
He kin come home as late as kin be,
Home widout him ain't no home to me,
Can't help lovin' dat man of mine!
JOE & MEN
She kin come home as late as kin be,
Home widout her ain't no home to me,
Can't help lovin' dat gal of mine!
