Summertime/It Ain’t Necessarily So
Words & Music: G & I Gershwin – Arrangement: Brenda Wootton
Brenda’s selection of material for her concerts very much depended on her singing songs with which she felt comfortable, which appealed to her, and hopefully, to her audiences. Fairly obviously, her choices were very popular with audiences around the world – and although her love of Cornwall shone through every programme, audiences could also expect to be regaled with an eclectic range of songs incorporating bawdy humour, sensitive love songs, powerful spirituals, ballsy blues and punchy rock numbers.
Here is Brenda’s arrangement of the Gerswin number “Summertime” & “It Aint Necessarily So”
Summertime, and the living is easy,
Fish are jumping and the cotton is high,
Your daddy’s rich and your momma’s good-looking,
So, hush little baby, don’t you cry.
One of these mornings, you’re gonna rise up singing,
Gonna spread your wings and take to the sky
Until that morning ain’t nobody can harm you
With your momma and your poppa standing by.
It ain’t necessarily so, it ain’t necessarily so,
The things that you’re li’ble to read in the bible,
It ain’t necessarily so.
Old Jonah, he lived in a whale, old Jonah, he lived in a whale,
He made his home in that fish’s abdomen
Jonah, he lived in a whale.
Little David was small, but ooh-my, little David was small, but ooh-my
He slew big Goliath, who lay down and dieth,
Little David was small, little David was small, little David was small but ooooh…
Summertime and the living is easy,
Fish are jumping and the cotton is high,
Your daddy’s rich and your momma’s good-looking
So, hush little baby, don’t you cry.
One of these mornings, you’re gonna rise up singing,
You’re gonna spread your wings and you’ll take to the sky,
Until that morning, there ain’t nothing can harm you
With your momma and your poppa… standing by.
Sue Ellery-Hill Aug 2020