Good Girl Blues

This song was written for my mother-in-law, Betty, who passed away in January. I based the song loosely off a letter from her father from the war, and what I know about what happened when he came home. She loved the blues and New Orleans jazz and i wanted a song with a slightly bluesy feel, so I used a Blues 12 chord progression, but gave it a more modern song. If I was going to sing it live though, I might do some heavy improvising, just cause of its blues grounding.

Please say you are proud of me for finally doing a video of myself performing and exposing my very sub-par guitar skills. I’m working on it; Vulnerability and guitar.

Good Girl Blues

Verse:
You wrote me a letter from the 2nd world war
“Don’t worry your pretty head, now.” It was 1944.
Be a good girl, Betty
pray for me each day
England’a close to the enemy,”
you’d sometimes like to say
I played with my dolls
And wrote some letters back
I was a good girl, Daddy, a good girl

Chorus:
I was a good girl, Daddy
I was a good girl
I was a good, Daddy
I was a good girl
Another storm was brewing
That I could never see
Couldn’t make it stop
Felt it deep inside of me
I couldn’t find the fight.
So I couldn’t make it right
I didn’t have a light

Verse 2:
You came home, then,
when I was almost 12.
Mother was in school, meant mostly
Living by myself
I did our housework every day
Mother gave me praise
But looking back now
XXXX
I can’t place you

I was a good girl
XXXXX
I was a good girl

Chorus:
I was a good girl, Daddy
But where were you
I was a good
Where were you girl
Another storm was brewing
That I could never see
Couldn’t make it stop
Felt it deep inside of me
I couldn’t find the fight.
So I could make it right
I didn’t have a light

Verse 3:
Your Coming and your going
drinking always on a binge
Had me looking for attention
Like I never had your love
(A) If good girls don’t get angry
You can call me bad
I’ve spend a lifetime trying
Not to be so mad
B)being good and being strong
Don’t last you very long
When YOUR Daddy get’s it wrong

I can’t make it right
No, I can’t make it right
Even when I’m a good girl
I can never make it right
And now I have a light
Still I never get it right
But I’m alright

Responses

  1. Good Girl Blues

    Verse:
    (E) You wrote me a letter from the 2nd world war
    “Don’t worry your pretty head, now.” It was 1944.
    (A) Be a good girl, Betty
    pray for me each day
    (E) Englands close to the enemy,”
    you’d sometimes like to say
    (B) I played with my dolls
    And wrote some letters back
    (E) I was a good girl, Daddy, a good girl

    Chorus:
    (E) I was a good girl, Daddy
    I was a good girl
    I was a good, Daddy
    I was a good girl
    (A) Another storm was brewing
    That I could never see
    (E) Couldn’t make it stop
    Felt it deep inside of me
    (B) I couldn’t find the fight.
    So I couldn’t make it right
    (E) I didn’t have a light

    Verse 2:
    (E) You came home, then,
    when I was almost 12.
    Mother was in school, meant mostly
    Living by myself
    (A) I did our housework every day
    Mother gave me praise
    (E) But looking back now
    XXXX
    (E) I can’t place you

    (B) I was a good girl
    XXXXX
    (E) I was a good girl

    Chorus:
    (E) I was a good girl, Daddy
    But where were you
    I was a good
    Where were you girl
    (A) Another storm was brewing
    That I could never see
    (E) Couldn’t make it stop
    Felt it deep inside of me
    (B) I couldn’t find the fight.
    So I could make it right
    (E) I didn’t have a light

    Verse 3:
    (E) Your Coming and your going
    drinking always on a binge
    Had me looking for attention
    Like I never had your love
    (A) If good girls don’t get angry
    You can call me bad
    (E) I’ve spend a lifetime trying
    Not to be so mad
    B)being good and being strong
    Don’t last you very long
    (E) When YOUR Daddy get’s it wrong

    (E) I can’t make it right
    No, I can’t make it right
    (A) Even when I’m a good girl
    I can never make it right
    (B) And now I have a light
    Still I never get it right
    (E) But I’m alright

  2. This is a lovely sincere story and you have a lovely voice. Maybe let down a little by putting it up before your performance was smoother. I think a polished performance of this song would be outstanding. Enjoyed it. Thank you

  3. Thanks, Mal, Anne and Phil. Yes, Mal, good feedback about waiting until it’s more polished. I just wrote it yesterday and should have waited a little longer. I tend to be inpatient in addition to not being a guitar player that’s ready for live performances. Not sure if I can put a different YouTube link up in this same spot, but if I get a polished version filmed sometime soon I’ll see if I can switch the links.