Bessie Smith was the roughest and toughest---in her music and in real life. Wondrous music was made by her.

Her "Electric Chair Blues" is a wonderful song.

Verses like:

Judge, judge, good kind judge,
Send me to the 'lectric chair,
Judge, judge, good kind judge,
You can fry me 'cause I don't care,
I cut him with my razor,
I kicked him in the side,
Stood over him laughin',
While he wobbled 'round---and died!
Judge, judge, please Mr. Judge,
Send me to the 'lectric chair.

Art Thieme