Lyr Req: Five-Pound Box of Money (Bailey/Barker)

Subject: Lyr Req: Big ol' box o' money
From: Wincing Devil
Date: 05 Jan 04 - 06:15 PM

It was either Pearl Bailey or Ella Fitzgerald that requested Santa to bring her "A big ol' box of Money" Any one have the rest of the lyrics?

>;-(

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Big ol' box o' money
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Jan 04 - 06:47 AM

It was Pearl Bailey, and the song is called FIVE-POUND BOX OF MONEY.

It's available on several Christmas anthologies including "Hipsters' Holiday: Vocal Jazz & R&B Classics," Rhino CD 70910. It's credited to "Bailey/Barker." I transcribed the following excerpt from a sound sample at Barnes & Noble. (It's the only Chistmas album that sounds tempting right now.)

...ways about it,
But while we're here, Santa dear,
It's much better with than without it.
So, really, I could be real good,
And not do nothin' funny,
If you do like I ask you,
Start me right on Christmas, honey.
Try me! Try me! Try me on that money.
Just try me, honey.
Santa, can you hear me?
You listen to everything I'm askin'?...

[Michelle "Evil Gal" Wilson also recorded it.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Big ol' box o' money
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jan 04 - 07:16 AM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Five-Pound Box of Money (Bailey/Barker)
From: GUEST,999--sung by Pearl on YOUTUBE
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 04:01 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOQ0oJfsz58

Subject: Lyr Add: A FIVE-POUND BOX OF MONEY (Bailey/Barker)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 08:07 AM

Here's my transcription from the YouTube recording:


A FIVE-POUND BOX OF MONEY

Hey, Santa Claus, you want to make me happy this year?
Listen to me, honey.
Give Pearl som'n' that'll be of some use to me,
Like a—like a five-pound box o' money.
Now there's a little gift that's loaded with lots o' sentiment.
See, whenever I get blue, Santa, I'm gonna think of you.
But at the same time I'll have the change to pay my rent, you see?

Now money isn't everything.
There's no two ways about it,
But while we're here, Santa dear,
It's much better with than without it.
So, really, I could be real good,
And not do nothin' funny,
If you do like I ask you,
Start me right on Christmas night.
Try me! Try me! Try me on that money.
Just try me, honey.

Santa, can you hear me?
You listenin' to everything I'm askin' about?

I say, listen, honey, Santa dear, the New Year, oh, it would be so bright an' sunny.
Just bring that little ol' simple thing I been speakin' to you about, like, like that, maybe a five-pound box o' money. That's all! That's all!
It would be so heavenly and help me meet both ends.
Yes, indeed, what ol' Pearl really needs is that five-pound box o' tin. How much can it weigh? I ask you, how much?
I don't want the whole money tree.
What good is that big thing to me?
You keep the branches. You can keep the trunk and the root,
'Cause all that I want is just a little bit o' the fruit.
So you want to be sure I'll be your little ol' honey-honey-bunny.
You try me. Start me off on Christmas night with a five-pound—no, I better increase that—make it ten-pounds—no, I better ....


[There's a bit more patter at the end but it gets increasingly hard to understand.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Five-Pound Box of Money (Bailey/Barker)
From: GUEST,jmxw
Date: 10 Dec 18 - 01:28 PM

Easy to say:

... So you want to be sure I'll be your little ol' honey, honey-bunny, you try me, start me off, on Christmas night with a five pound, no I'd better increase that, make it ten pounds, no I-I'd better put in a good beg while I'm beggin' 'cause I mean I catch you next year, you know how people go out, sometime' don't see 'em no more so bring the money, Santa! D'you hear me? Five, bring me some money, ol' Santa Now what I want with this diamond, are you kiddin'?