Em'ralds in my bracelets, diamonds in my rings A Riviera chateau and a lot of other things And I'm blue, so blue am I Lots of ready money in seven diff'rent banks I counted up this morning, it was 'bout a million francs And I'm blue, so blue, and I know why
I've got Harlem on my mind And I'm longin' to be lowdown And my "parlez-vous" will not ring true With Harlem on my mind
I've been dined and I've been wined But I'm headin' for a showdown 'Cause I can't go on from night to dawn With Harlem on my mind
I go to supper with a French Marquis Each evening after the show My lips begin to whisper "Mon Cheri" But my heart keeps singin' "Hi-de-ho"
I've become too damned refined And at night I hate to go down To that high-falutin' flat that Lady Mendel designed With Harlem on my mind
I've got Harlem on my mind And I'm longing to be lowdown And my "parlez-vous" will not ring true With Harlem on my mind
I've been dined and I've been wined But sure as your born I'm headin' for a showdown 'Cause I can't go on from night to dawn With Harlem on my mind
And when I'm bathing in my marble tub Each evening after the show I get to thinkin' 'bout that Cotton Club And my heart starts chirping "Hi-de-ho"
Help me!
I've been too damned refined And at night I hate to go down To that flat with fifty million Frenchmen taggin' behind With Harlem on my mind