Now Or Never

Lyrics

Hey fat daddy make up your mind
‘Cause I’ve been waiting such a long, long time
Now baby or never ’cause I been so good to you
Now baby or never ’cause I’ve been so lonesome, too
Now baby or never if I mean anything to you
Now baby or never ’cause you wasted so much time
Now baby or never ’cause you can’t make up your mind
Now baby or never and it ain’t no fault of mine
It’s got to be yes or no
It’s either you stay or go
You can’t leave me on the shelf
You gotta commit yourself
It’s either you will baby or won’t fall
In love with me

Gonna call you once more on the telephone
I’ll give you till twelve then I’ll be gone

I waited last night for you to call
You give me no consideration at all
It’s now baby or never ’cause you wasted so much time
Now baby or never and you must make up your mind
Now baby or never and it ain’t no fault of mine
It’s got to be yes or no
It’s either you stay or go
You can’t leave me on the shelf
You gotta commit yourself
It’s either you will baby or won’t
You do baby or don’t
Either you will baby or won’t fall in love with me

Song Notes

This live film of Lady with the Basie band is a lucky find for the sake of the ages. She did a lot of tough road work with Basie, to great acclaim, but never recorded with the group.

Written by singer Billie Holiday, and composer Curtis Reginald Lewis. Recording Session: Studio Session #63, New York, September 30, 1949, Sy Oliver and His Orchestra (Decca), with Bernie Privin (trumpet), Sid Cooper, Johnny Mince (alto saxophone), Artie Drellinger, Pat Nizza (tenor saxophone), Billy Kyle (piano), Everett Barksdale (guitar), Joe Benjamin (bass), Jimmy Crawford (drums), and Billie Holiday (vocal).

– Wikipedia