Troubled Waters is a 1934 jazz/traditional pop tune from the Paramount film Belle of the Nineties. Music by Arthur Johnston and lyrics by Sam Coslow. The original recording features Mae West with Duke Ellington and His Orchestra, made on May 7, 1934 and released as part of the Belle of the Nineties soundtrack. The song tells of a woman facing gossip and judgment, and she sings of drowning in troubled waters to wash away sins, wondering if she is to blame. It is performed in English and has since been covered by many artists, including Duke Ellington's Orchestra, Helen Merrill (with Gil Evans), Cat Power, Catherine Russell, Nancy Harms, and more. It also appears on the Duke Ellington Library Vol. 10: 1933-34 compilation. The tune remains a notable early jazz/pop standard closely associated with Mae West’s film persona.
