The Divine LenaThis is a song about a hooker in Harlem and Lena recorded it on this date in 1941! It's hard to believe the censors would allow it, but they did.
I learned the song in the 70's from my friend and cabaret diva Dawn Hampton (cousin to Lionel) and Dawn sang slightly different words than Lena was allowed to record. In the "bridge" of the song, Lena sings: "Instead of sympathy, he just so mean to me" but Dawn sang: "Instead of sympathy, he beats the hell out of me". Yes, the hooker is singing about her love for her pimp.
Enjoy Lena's original recording with the Charlie Barnett band in 1941.
I learned the song in the 70's from my friend and cabaret diva Dawn Hampton (cousin to Lionel) and Dawn sang slightly different words than Lena was allowed to record. In the "bridge" of the song, Lena sings: "Instead of sympathy, he just so mean to me" but Dawn sang: "Instead of sympathy, he beats the hell out of me". Yes, the hooker is singing about her love for her pimp.
Enjoy Lena's original recording with the Charlie Barnett band in 1941.
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