(1928) Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill



You people can watch while I'm scrubbing these floors

And I'm scrubbin' the floors while you're gawking

Maybe once ya tip me and it makes ya feel swell

In this crummy Southern town

In this crummy old hotel

But you'll never guess to who you're talkin'.

No. You couldn't ever guess to who you're talkin'.



Then one night there's a scream in the night

And you'll wonder who could that have been

And you see me kinda grinnin' while I'm scrubbin'

And you say, "What's she got to grin?"

I'll tell you.



There's a ship

The Black Freighter

with a skull on its masthead

will be coming in



You gentlemen can say, "Hey gal, finish them floors!

Get upstairs! What's wrong with you! Earn your keep here!

You toss me your tips

and look out to the ships

But I'm counting your heads

as I'm making the beds

Cuz there's nobody gonna sleep here, honey

Nobody

Nobody!



Then one night there's a scream in the night

And you say, "Who's that kicking up a row?"

And ya see me kinda starin' out the winda

And you say, "What's she got to stare at now?"

I'll tell ya.



There's a ship

The Black Freighter

turns around in the harbor

shootin' guns from her bow



Now

You gentlemen can wipe off that smile off your face

Cause every building in town is a flat one

This whole frickin' place will be down to the ground

Only this cheap hotel standing up safe and sound

And you yell, "Why do they spare that one?"

Yes.

That's what you say.

"Why do they spare that one?"



All the night through, through the noise and to-do

You wonder who is that person that lives up there?

And you see me stepping out in the morning

Looking nice with a ribbon in my hair



And the ship

The Black Freighter

runs a flag up its masthead

and a cheer rings the air



By noontime the dock

is a-swarmin' with men

comin' out from the ghostly freighter

They move in the shadows

where no one can see

And they're chainin' up people

and they're bringin' em to me

askin' me,

"Kill them NOW, or LATER?"

Askin' ME!

"Kill them now, or later?"



Noon by the clock

and so still by the dock

You can hear a foghorn miles away

And in that quiet of death

I'll say, "Right now.

Right now!"



Then they'll pile up the bodies

And I'll say,

"That'll learn ya!"



And the ship

The Black Freighter

disappears out to sea

And

on

it

is

me