Natchez On The Mississip'

Written for: The Barkleys Of Broadway (1949)
Lyric: Ira Gershwin
Music: Harry Warren
Year: 1948
Original publisher: Harry Warren Music, Inc.

Verse:

(Judy Garland:) There are ninety-seven thousand, seven hundred and three
Songs about the South and its hospitality;
Songs of ev'ry river, ev'ry state and ev'ry town,
You can hardly find an acre that hasn't won renown.
(Men:) Alabama, Lou'siana, Georgia, Tennessee,
Chattanooga, Tallahassee,
There I want to be!
(Garland:) Brother, how they write 'em,
Ad infinitum!
(Men:) That's Greek to us,
(Garland:) But it's Latin to me,
"Ad infinitum" means they write 'em endlessly.
But I've studied all the maps and there is one town overlooked.
(Men:) You really mean there is a town the songsters haven't booked?
You mean you studied all the maps of Rand McNally
And found a spot that yet has not been done by Tin Pan Alley?
(Garland:) To all the songs about the South, you please will add one more!
(Men:) That makes ninety-seven thousand, seven hundred and four!
(Garland:) Ninety-seven thousand, seven hundred and four!
No use, you see, opposing me, I'm on a vocal trip
To a certain town in the state of Mississip'!

Chorus:

(Garland:) I've got to go back to Natchez,
Where there are no doors with latches;
Howdy, hello, friends in batches,
Where the sun shines for me.
Guess I was wrong leavin' Natchez,
I got along dressed in patches;
Life was a song, singin' snatches,
Snatches of songs like "The Robert E. Lee."
Trouble hatches out of Natchez,
Got the big-town blues, so I'm
Thumbing any truck I catches
Headin' for that sunny clime.
I'll hitch and hike back to Natchez,
And when I strike, I attaches!
Say what you like, boy, I scratches!
All but Natchez,
Take my tip that no town matches,
No town matches, Natchez, Mississip'!

Chorus (Alternate):

(Garland:) I've got to go back to Natchez,
Livin' where no doors have latches;
Where it's, "Hello, friends in batches!"
And the sun shines for me.
Guess I was wrong leavin' Natchez,
I got along dressed in patches;
Life was a song, singin' snatches,
Snatches of songs like "The Robert E. Lee."
Trouble hatches out of Natchez,
Got the big-town blues, so I'm
Thumbing any truck I catches
Headin' for that sunny clime.
I'll hitch and hike back to Natchez,
And when I strike, I attaches!
Say what you like, boy, I scratches!
All but Natchez,
Take my tip that no town matches,
No town matches, Natchez, Mississip'!