The Birth of the Blues

Oh... they say some people along ago

Where lookin' for a different tune

One that they could coon

As only they can

They only had the rhythm

So, they started swingin' to and fro

They didn't know just what to use

But this is how the blues

Really began

This is the way the blues began

They... heard... the breeze

Through the trees

Singing weird melodies

And they named that

Just the start of the blues

Then from a jail

There came a wail

From a down-heart frail

And they played that

As a part of the blues

Now from a whippoorwill

Sittin' high on a hill

They took a new note

And they pushed it through a horn

Until it was worn into a blue note

And they nursed it

Yeah, rehearsed it

And then gave out the news

That the South Land

Really gave birth to the blues

From a whippoorwill

High on a hill

They grabbed a new note

And they pushed it through a horn

Until it was worn into a blue note

And then they nursed it

Oh, rehearsed it

And then gave out the news

That the South Land

Gave birth to the blues

Everybody they nursed it

Rehearsed it

And gave out the news

That, that old South Land

Gave birth, birth to the blues