I put a spell on you

Lena Horne uses the line "I'm broke, That's oak" in her version of "That's Why the Lady is a Tramp".

Is to say something is oak a real expression or poetic license?

I'm broke, that's oke (okay).

Intersting.

Are you skptical of my interprtation? Well, why not? SS

I'm utterly sincere and not skeptical at all. I'd have never thought to interpret it that way. But it wouldn't be the first time spelling has led me astray. I was guessing "oak", possibly as in solid or for sure, but I'd never heard the expression. Did you find the lyric somewhere?

Nah.

It is (or was) presumably a new coining because something had to be found which rhymed with 'broke'.

DFG

Those are the lyrics as written.

I imagine that the spelling is to avoid any doubt about the pronunciation. The song is intended to be performed - when you hear a song, you can't tell how the words are spelled!