Why I Sing The Blues

Everybody wants to know why I sing the blues

Yes, I say everybody wanna know why I sing the blues

Well, I've been around a long time

I really have paid my dues

When I first got the blues they brought me over on a ship

Men were standing over me and a lot more with a whip

And everybody wanna know

Why I sing the blues

Well, I've been around a long time

Mmm, I've really paid my dues

I've laid in a ghetto flat, cold and numb

I heard the rats tell the bedbugs to give the roaches some

Everybody wanna know

Why I'm singing the blues

Yes, I've been around a long time

People, I've paid my dues

I stood in line down at the County Hall

I heard a man say "We're gonna build some new apartments for y'all"

And everybody wanna know

Yes, they wanna know why I'm singing the blues

Yes, I've been around a long, long time

Yes, I've really, really paid my dues

Now I'm gonna play Lucille

My kid's gonna grow up, gonna grow up to be a fool

'Cause they ain't got no more room, no more room for him in school

And everybody wanna know

Everybody wanna know why I'm singing the blues

I say I've been around a long time

Yes, I've really paid some dues

Yeah, you know the company told me, "Guess you're born to lose"

Everybody around me, people, it seems like everybody got the blues

But I had 'em a long time

I've really, really paid my dues

You know I ain't ashamed of it, people

I just love to sing my blues

I walk through the cities, people, on my bare feet

I had a fill of catfish and chitterling up in Downbill Street

You know I'm singing the blues

Yes, I really, I just have to sing my blues

I've been around a long time

People, I've really, really paid my dues

Now Father Time is catching up with me, gone is my youth

I look in the mirror everyday and let it tell me the truth

I'm singing the blues

Mmm-mmm, I just have to sing the blues

I've been around a long time

Yes, yes, I've really paid some dues

Yeah, they told me everything would be better out in the country

Everything was fine, I caught me a bus uptown, baby

And every people, all the people got the same trouble as mine

I got the blues, huh huh

I say I've been around a long time

Hmm, I've really paid some dues

One more time, fellows

Blind man on the corner begging for a dime

The rollers come and caught him and throw him in the jail for a crime

I got the blues

Mmm, I'm singing my blues

I've been around a long time

Mmm, I've really paid some dues

Can we do just one more?

Oh, I thought I'd go down to the welfare to get myself some grits and stuff

But a lady stand up, and she said, "You haven't been around long enough"

That's why I got the blues

Mmm, the blues

I say, I've been around a long time

I've really, really paid my dues

Fellows, just one more time

Ha, ha, ha, that's alright, fellows

Yeah!