Song Meaning

The lyrics present a boastful, yet ultimately weary, perspective on romantic entanglements, framing infidelity as a positive outcome. The narrator begins by asserting the benefit of having "more than one" woman, immediately establishing a tone of carnal abundance. He recounts past exploits with various women – Lou, Henrietta, Jenny, Mattie, and Mae – each characterized by a different kind of freedom or availability, painting a picture of a youth spent navigating a complex web of relationships. This initial phase is marked by a certain swagger, even including a violent incident with Mae that lands him in jail, yet his thoughts remain fixed on her, suggesting a deep, if problematic, attachment. The central tension arises from the narrator's persistent belief that having multiple partners is inherently beneficial, a "good thing." This is contrasted with the implied struggles and deceptions of others. He warns younger men that women are inherently untrustworthy, "winkin' and blinkin' at another man" while they're away. This cynical view fuels his justification for his own promiscuity, suggesting it's a preemptive strike against inevitable betrayal. The repeated phrase "she got more than one" becomes a refrain, normalizing the very behavior he claims to be a virtue. The most striking aspect of the craft is the narrator's evolving perspective as he ages. While his youth is characterized by active pursuit and physical encounters, his older self, with a "head getting grey," still claims the title of "oldest rider of the barn." He acknowledges his physical limitations but insists his experience and understanding of women remain sharp. The lyrics shift from recounting specific women to a generalized observation about women's "done-devilment" and their tendency to have "more than one," culminating in the stark admission that "most all the women got more than one." This relentless assertion, despite the narrator's aging and implied loneliness, is what makes the lyrics resonate. It’s not a celebration of love, but a raw, almost desperate, defense of a life lived by a specific code of sexual freedom and distrust. The repeated affirmation "Ain't it a good thing" feels less like genuine conviction and more like a mantra, a way to rationalize a life that, by its own admission, is built on a foundation of constant vigilance and fleeting encounters. The final line, "One woman'll never do," seals this worldview, presenting a life defined by quantity over quality, and a cynical acceptance of infidelity as the norm.

The Beale Street Sheiks - Country, Blues

Its A Good Thing

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Duration: 3:00

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It's a good thing It's a good thing to have more than one It's a good thing Now, when I was young gun in my prime Six, eight different women all the time Had a woman, God, her name was Lou Take God almighty tell you what the woman would do Another woman, God, her name Henrietta Talk to six, eight men, said she never knew better Another woman, God, her name was-a Jenny Talk to white folks, black folks, she wouldn't 'fuse a lady Another woman, God, her name was Mattie She's a-slippin' and a-dartin' into some dark alley Another woman, God, her name was Mae A fresh man home, we got every day I knocked Mae down, stomped in the face Had my trouble 'mongst the police raid I went to workhouse to work out my time Had the same doggone woman on my mind By the time I got out, Lord, I drunk a little gin I tore right back to Mae's house again By the time I got in the house she ready to have a little fun Made me come back about 'n' I got more than one It's a good thing Ain't it a good thing Ain't it a good thing to have more than one, one woman A-let me tell you little something, don't you raise no fuss Most these young women won't do the truck Bow-legged from the ankle, plum to the knee Just full of done-devilment as they can be While you're out, man, tryin' to study some plan She's a-winkin' and a-blinkin' at another man You get out of sight, you're peepin' through the crack I wonder how long 'fore the old man get back Her man get back, you're ready to have a little fun 'Fore you get out of sight, she got more than one Ain't it a good thing Ain't it a good thing Ain't it a good thing And now I'm gettin' old, Lord, my head getting' grey Lord, I'm not bow-legged but I walk that way Claim to be the oldest rider of the barn I've known about women long before I got grown Some in the daytime, some at night How in the world do you treat any laborin' man right? The time you get out you're ready to primp your head Turn around, slippin' there, jumpin' in your bed You jump in your bed, begin to have a little fun Next thing you want to know, got a little on you done A little on you done from three or four Talkin' around before your old man go You may be brown-skin, your color may be black What I say about these women, I won't take it back I get drunk, love to have my fun Most all the women got more than one Ain't it a good thing Ain't it a good thing Ain't it a good thing to have more than one One woman'll never do

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Writers: Frank Stokes

Its A Good Thing

Its A Good Thing

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