You Are What You Is Lyrics

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Do you know what you are?
You are what you is
You is what you am
*(A cow don't make ham...)*
You ain't what you're not
So see what you got
You are what you is
An' that's all it 'tis

A foolish young man
>From a middle class fam'ly
Started singin' the blues
'Cause he thought it was manly
Now he talks like the Kingfish
*("Saffiiiee!")*
>From Amos 'n Andy
*("Holy mack'l dere...Holy mack'l
  dere!")*
He tells you that chitlins...
Well, they taste just like candy
He thinks that he's got
*De whole thang down*
>From the Nivea Lotion
To de Royal Crown

Do you know what you are?
You are what you is
You is what you am
*(A cow don't make ham...)*
You ain't what you're not
So see what you got
You are what you is
An' that's all it 'tis

A foolish young man
Of the *Negro Persuasion*
Devoted his life
To become a caucasian
He stopped eating pork
He stopped eating greens
He traded his *dashiki*
*("UHURU!")*
For some Jordache Jeans
He learned to play golf
An' he got a good score
Now he says to himself
*("I AIN'T NO NIGGER NO MORE...HEY!
  HEY! HEY!")*

"I don't understand you..."
BWANA MA-COO-BAH
"Would you please speak more clearly..."
MERCEDES BAINNNNNNNZ

Who is who
*(I don't know)*
'N what is what
*(Somethin' I just don't know...)*
'N why is this
*(Tell me now...)*
Appropriot
*(That's a funny pronunciation if'n ever
  I heard one...)*
If you don't like
*(Where'd you get that word?)*
What you has got
*(Appropriot? The word is not...)*
Drop it in the dirt
*(Drop it yeah...)*
'N let it rot
*(I can smell it now...)*
Someone else
(Here de come, here de come...)*
Will surely come
*(I told you they was comin')*
'N pick it up
*(That's right!)*
'Cause he wants some
*(An' he wants it for free...)*
And when one day
*(There will come a day...)*
You wonder who
*(I wonder too...)*
You used to was
*(Who I was anyway...)*
'N what you do
*(I used to work at the post office...)*
You'll scratch your head
*(But I don't wanna un-do my doo...)*
'N look around
*(Just to see what's goin' on)*
But what you lost
*(Can't seem to find it...)*
Will not be found
*(A Mercedes Benz...)* Do you what you are?
*(I know...)*
You are what you is
*(I'm the kinda guy...)*
You is what you am
*(That ought to be drivin' a Mercedes
  Benz...)*
A cow don't make a ham
*(A four-fifty SLC...)*
You ain't what you're not
*(A big ol' red one...)*
So see what you got
*(With some golf clubs stickin' out de
  trunk...)*
You are what you is
*(I'm gwine down to de links on Saturday
   mornin'...)*
An' that's all it is
*(Gimme a five dollar bill...)*
YOU ARE WHAT YOU IS
*(And an overcoat too...)*
AND THAT'S ALL IT IS
*(Robbie, take me to Greek Town...)*
YOU ARE WHAT YOU IS
*(I'm harder than yer husband; harder
  than yer husband...)*
AN THAT'S ALL IT IS
*(I'm goin' down to White Street, y'all...)*
YOU ARE WHAT YOU IS
*(Gone down to the Mudd Club, 'n work                                    OOR
   the wall...)*
AN THAT'S ALL IT IS
*('N work the floor 'n work the pipe 'N                                  l
   work the wall some more...
And here we are at the Mudd Club,
   Y'all...
I hope you enjoy yourself, cause the
   show's about
To begin...)*