WELL, I REMEMBER IT ALL
VERY WELL, LOOKIN' BACK
IT WAS THE SUMMER
I TURNED EIGHTEEN
WE LIVED IN A ONE-ROOM
RUN-DOWN SHACK
ON THE OUTSKIRTS
OF NEW ORLEANS
WE DIDN'T HAVE MONEY
FOR FOOD OR RENT
TO SAY THE LEAST
WE WERE HARD-PRESSED
THEN MAMA SPENT
EVERY LAST PENNY WE HAD
TO BUY ME A DANCIN' DRESS
WELL, MAMA WASHED AND
COMBED AND CURLED MY HAIR
THEN SHE PAINTED
MY EYES AND LIPS
THEN I STEPPED INTO
A SATIN DANCIN' DRESS
THAT HAD A SPLIT ON THE SIDE
CLEAN UP TO MY HIP
IT WAS RED VELVET TRIM
AND IT FIT ME GOOD
STANDIN' BACK
FROM THE LOOKIN' GLASS
THERE STOOD A WOMAN WHERE
A HALF-GROWN KID HAD STOOD
SHE SAID
HERE'S YOUR ONE CHANCE
FANCY, DON'T LET ME DOWN
SHE SAID
HERE'S YOUR ONE CHANCE
FANCY, DON'T LET ME DOWN
MAMA DABBED A LITTLE BIT
OF PERFUME ON MY NECK
THEN SHE KISSED MY CHEEK
AND THEN I SAW THE TEARS
WELLIN' UP IN HER TROUBLED
EYES AS SHE STARTED TO SPEAK
SHE LOOKED
AT OUR PITIFUL SHACK
AND THEN SHE LOOKED AT ME
AND TOOK A RAGGED BREATH
SHE SAID, YOUR PA'S RUNNED OFF
AND I'M REAL SICK
AND THE BABY'S
GONNA STARVE TO DEATH
SHE HANDED ME A HEART
SHAPED LOCKET THAT SAID
TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE
AND I SHIVERED AS I WATCHED
A ROACH CRAWL ACROSS THE
TOE OF MY HIGH-HEELED SHOE
IT SOUNDED LIKE SOMEBODY
ELSE THAT WAS TALKIN'
ASKIN' MAMA, WHAT DO I DO
SHE SAID, JUST BE NICE
TO THE GENTLEMEN, FANCY
THEY'LL BE NICE TO YOU
SHE SAID
HERE'S YOUR ONE CHANCE
FANCY, DON'T LET ME DOWN
HERE'S YOUR ONE CHANCE
FANCY, DON'T LET ME DOWN
LORD, FORGIVE ME
FOR WHAT I DO
BUT IF YOU WANT OUT
WELL, IT'S UP TO YOU
NOW, DON'T LET ME DOWN
NOW YOUR MAMA'S
GONNA MOVE YOU UPTOWN
WELL, THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
I SAW MY MA
THE NIGHT I LEFT THAT
RICKETY SHACK
THE WELFARE PEOPLE
CAME AND TOOK THE BABY
MAMA DIED
AND I AIN'T BEEN BACK
BUT THE WHEELS OF FATE
HAD STARTED TO TURN
AND FOR ME
THERE WAS NO WAY OUT
WASN'T VERY LONG 'TIL I KNEW
EXACTLY WHAT MY MAMA'D
BEEN TALKIN' ABOUT
I KNEW WHAT I HAD TO DO
AND I MADE MYSELF
THIS SOLEMN VOW
THAT I'S GONNA BE
A LADY SOMEDAY
THOUGH I DIDN'T KNOW
WHEN OR HOW
BUT I COULDN'T SEE
SPENDING THE REST OF MY LIFE
WITH MY HEAD
HUNG DOWN IN SHAME
YOU KNOW I MIGHT HAVE BEEN
BORN JUST PLAIN WHITE TRASH
BUT FANCY WAS MY NAME
SHE SAID
HERE'S YOUR ONE CHANCE
FANCY, DON'T LET ME DOWN
SHE SAID
HERE'S YOUR ONE CHANCE
FANCY, DON'T LET ME DOWN
IT WASN'T LONG AFTER
A BENEVOLENT MAN
TOOK ME IN OFF THE STREETS
ONE WEEK LATER
I WAS POURIN' HIS TEA
IN A FIVE-ROOM HOTEL SUITE
I CHARMED A KING
A CONGRESSMAN AND
AN OCCASIONAL ARISTOCRAT
AND THEN I GOT ME A GEORGIA
MANSION AND AN ELEGANT
NEW YORK TOWNHOUSE FLAT
AND I AIN'T DONE BAD
NOW IN THIS WORLD, THERE'S A
LOT OF SELF-RIGHTEOUS
HYPOCRITES, THEY CALL ME BAD
THEY CRITICISED MAMA
FOR TURNING ME OUT
NO MATTER HOW LITTLE WE HAD
BUT THOUGH I AIN'T HAD
TO WORRY ABOUT NOTHIN'
FOR NIGH ON FIFTEEN YEARS
WELL, I CAN STILL HEAR
THE DESPERATION
IN MY POOR MAMA'S VOICE
RINGIN' IN MY EARS
HERE'S YOUR ONE CHANCE
FANCY, DON'T LET ME DOWN
WOAH, HERE'S YOUR ONE CHANCE
FANCY, DON'T LET ME DOWN
LORD, FORGIVE ME
FOR WHAT I DO
BUT IF YOU WANT OUT
WELL, IT'S UP TO YOU
NOW, DON'T LET ME DOWN
NOW YOUR MAMA'S
GONNA MOVE YOU UPTOWN
WELL, I GUESS SHE DID