EARTHA KITT - I WANT TO BE EVIL

I WANT TO BE EVIL

EARTHA KITT

SONGWRITERS: RAYMOND TAYLOR & LESTER JUDSON

COUNTRY: U.S.A.

ALBUM: THAT BAD EARTHA

LABEL: RCA VICTOR

GENRE: JAZZ

YEAR: 1953

That Bad Eartha is a 1954 studio album by American singer Eartha Kitt, her debut 12" vinyl album issued by RCA Victor. The album was recorded in four sessions between March and October 1953 with Henri Rene and His Orchestra. Long-playing records were introduced in 1948 by Columbia with 10" albums as the popular music format and the 12" album the format for classical music. RCA introduced the 45 RPM format shortly afterwards. In May 1953 RCA Victor released the 10" vinyl álbum RCA Victor Presents Eartha Kitt which reached No. 2 on the pop albums chart and featured 8 songs. By the mid-50s, 10” LPs were phased out, replaced by 12” ones for popular as well as classical music, and RCA Victor expanded and re-issued the album with 12 tracks.

RCA released her second album in the 10” popular format and reissued it a year later in the now established 12” format with additional songs. It was also released in a 45 RPM extended play version with two songs on each side of a disk. That Bad Eartha spent 12 weeks on the pop albums chart, peaking at No. 5.

Several singles were issued from this album, "Under the Bridges of Paris" charted in the UK singles chart in 1955 at #7.

Many of the songs recorded for this album, such as "C'est si bon", "Uska Dara" and "I Want to Be Evil" became closely associated with Eartha Kitt and were performed live by her until one of her last concerts at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, shortly before her death in December 2008. The complete album was re-issued on CD in 1994 as part of the Bear Family Records five-CD boxset Eartha – Quake; this included "Santa Baby" and several other tracks from the same recording session not included in this album.

I've posed for pictures with Iv'ry Soap

I've petted stray dogs, and shied clear of dope

(I've petted stray dogs, and I never mope)

My smile is brilliant, my glance is tender

But I'm noted most for my unspoiled gender

I've been made Miss Reingold, though I never touch beer

(I've been named Miss Perseverance year after year)

And I'm the person to whom they say: You're sweet, my dear

The only etchings I've seen have been behind glass

And the closest I've been to a bar, is at ballet class

Prim and proper, the girl who's never been cased

I'm tired of being pure and not chased

Like something that seeks it's level

I wanna go to the devil

I wanna be evil, I wanna spit tacks

I wanna be evil, and cheat at jacks

I wanna be wicked, I wanna tell lies

I wanna be mean, and throw mud pies

I want to wake up in the morning

With that dark brown taste

I want to see some dissipation in my face

I wanna be evil, I wanna be mad

But more that that I wanna be bad

I wanna be evil, and trump an ace

Just to see my partner's face

I wanna be nasty, I wanna be cruel

I wanna be daring, I wanna shoot pool

And in the theatre

I want to change my seat

Just so I can step on

Everybody's feet

I wanna be evil, I wanna hurt flies

I wanna sing songs like the guy who cries

I wanna be horrid, I wanna drink booze

(I want to be horrid, I want to make news)

And whatever I've got I'm eager to lose

I wanna be evil, little evil me

Just as mean and evil as I can be.