DON'T TAKE THAT BLACK BOTTOM AWAY
(Sam Coslow / Andy Britt / Harry Link)


Annette Hanshaw & The Red Heads - 1926
Hoosier Radio Boys - 1926
Plantation Players (vocal: Tom Stacks) - 1926
Golden Gate Orch. (vocal: Ed Kirkeby) - 1926
Broadway Bell Hops (Instr.) - 1926
The Seven Aces (Instr.) -1926




As recorded by ANNETTE HANSHAW, October 1926, New York:


No one ever gave me a tumble
At a party or ball
Till I learned a certain step
That gave me quite a rep

I became the life of the party
One who goes every day
That hot rhythm kept me with 'em
Now they wanna take it away, I'm cryin'

You can take my coat and hat
Take away my dog and my cat
But don't take away that Black Bottom
Black Bottom

You can take the sun away
Leave me with those clouds of grey
But don't take that Black Bottom away
Hey-Hey!

Every time I do that dance
I lose my self control
It has taken full possession
Of my very soul

So, just take everything you can
You can even take my man
But don't take that Black Bottom away

Take all poison alcohol
I won't miss that stuff at all
But don't take away that Black Bottom
Black Bottom

Take away those sexy plays
Where they scream the woman pays
But don't take that Black Bottom away
Hey-Hey!

When they took that Shimmy dance
I really didn't mind
When the Charleston ??? ???
I never wept ???? ???

But at the close of every day
On my knees you'll hear me prayin'
Don't take that Black Bottom away

Just take everything you can
You can even take my man
But don't take that Black Bottom
Don't take the sunshine out of my life



(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - August 2018)