Tess's Torch Song (I Had A Man)
1943
Ted Koehler (w)
Harold Arlen (m)
Up In Arms, 1943
VERSE
Here is a story
'bout a gal;
Folks call her Torchy Tess
Because she trusted
Her heart got busted,
Love made her life a mess,
It evidently was an awful blow
For this is word for word
Poor Tess's tale of woe:
REFRAIN
I had a man,
He was a good man,
That is you see-what I mean is,
I though he was a good man
I had a friend,
She was a good friend,
I told my friend 'bout my man 'cause
I thought she was a good friend.
BRIDGE
Life was sweet,
Didn't I have my man
World complete,
Then the fireworks began.
REFRAIN
Ain't got no man,
Ain't got no friend,
I'll bet you can guess
Just exactly what happened.
That was the end,
The end of my friend,
The end of my man
And almost the end of me.