Chords for Bessie Smith - I've Got What It Takes (1929)

[G] _ [Am] _ [G] _ _ _ [A] _
_ _ _ [D] _ _ _
[G] _ _ _ [E] _ _ [C] _
[G] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ Oh, danger, Jenny saved up all her [C] _ _
[G] pennies.
Straight to [Gb] the bank [C] she [G] would go.
[D] _ _ _
[G] _ The [Gm] sharks would hound [D] her hands _ [B] around [Abm] her,
but [Dbm] none could [A] get her [D] door. _ _ _ _
[G] _ _ Jenny's fella was a slick [Am] high yeller. _
[G] _ Sent [Gb] away to jail [G] one day.
_ [D] _ _
[G] He [Bb] cried for bail [D] and turned real [B] _ pale
[E] _ when I heard [A] Jenny [D] _ [Bm] say,
_ [D] _
[B] I've got what [G] it takes, but it [Em] [A] breaks my [D] heart to give [G] it away.
[D] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
[G] _ [A] [Bm] It's in demand, _ _ they [Em] want it [A] every [D] day.
_ [B] _ _ _
[D] _ _ [Gb] _ _ I've [Dm] been saving it [G] up [Dm] for a long, [Bb] long [G] _ time.
[E] To give it away would be [Am] [E] more [Am] than a [A] crime.
Your _ eyes may roll, your teeth may grit,
[D] but [G] none of my money [C] _ will you get.
[D] You can [G] look [Bb] at [G] my bank book, but I'll [A] never let you [D] feel [G] my purse. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [Dm] _
All's I [F] want, [G] woman, _ is leaving _ [C] safety _ first.
[E] _ _
[Am] Safety first.
If [C] you want my money, [Am] _
here's [C] my plan.
[B]
I'm [D] saving it up for a [E] real good man.
[A] I've got [Bb] what [G] it takes, but it [A] breaks my heart [Gb] to give it [G]
away.
_ _ _ [Am] _ [Eb] _
[G] _ [D] _ _ [Gm] _ I've [D] got what it [G] takes, but it [A] breaks my heart to [D] give it [G]
away. _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ [A] [G] It's in demand, [Bb] for [D] crying for [A] it _ [Am] every [E] day. _ _ _
[Gb] _ _ _ _ I've been [Dm] _ saving it up for a long, long [G] _ time.
[C] To give it [E] away would be more than [Am] a [A] crime.
Your _ eyes may roll, your teeth may grit,
[D] but none of this small change will you get.
[G] You can [Bm] look at my bank book, [Eb] but [A] I'll never let [D] you put your hands [G] on my purse.
[D] _ _ _
[Gm] _ _ _ [D] _ _ _
[G] _ All's I want, woman, _ is leaving _ safety [C] first.
[E] _ _
Safety [Am] _ first. _
If you [C] want my money, _ _ here's my plan.
[G] I'm not saving it up for [E] no naked _ man.
I've got what [Bm] it takes, [Eb]
but it [A] breaks my [D] heart to give it [G] away.
_ _ [Am] _ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _