Why I Sing the Blues

[00:25.21] Everybody wants to know
[00:28.86] Why I sing the blues
[00:33.36] Yes, I say everybody wanna know
[00:36.95] Why I sing the blues
[00:41.41] Well, I've been around a long time
[00:45.07] I really have paid my dues
[00:49.62] When I first got the blues
[00:52.39] They brought me over on a ship
[00:55.03] Men were standing over me
[00:56.82] And a lot more with a whip
[00:58.67] And everybody wanna know
[01:01.39] Why I sing the blues
[01:06.70] Well, I've been around a long time
[01:09.42] Mm, I've really paid my dues
[01:14.82] I've laid in a ghetto flat
[01:17.52] Cold and numb
[01:19.40] I heard the rats tell the bedbugs
[01:22.09] To give the roaches some
[01:23.86] Everybody wanna know
[01:27.46] Why I'm singing the blues
[01:31.04] Yes, I've been around a long time
[01:33.71] People, I've paid my dues
[01:39.17] I stood in line
[01:41.81] Down at the County Hall
[01:43.62] I heard a man say, "We're gonna build some new apartments for y'all"
[01:48.34] And everybody wanna know
[01:51.04] Yes, they wanna know
[01:51.91] Why I'm singing the blues
[01:55.55] Yes, I've been around a long, long time
[01:59.18] Yes, I've really, really paid my dues
[02:01.83] Now I'm gonna play Lucille
[02:28.86] My kid's gonna grow up
[02:30.66] Gonna grow up to be a fool
[02:32.59] 'Cause they ain't got no more room
[02:34.32] No more room for him in school
[02:37.06] And everybody wanna know
[02:38.87] Everybody wanna know
[02:40.66] Why I'm singing the blues
[02:44.26] I say I've been around a long time
[02:46.90] Yes, I've really paid some dues
[02:51.57] Yeah, you know the company told me
[02:55.13] Guess you're born to lose
[02:56.90] Everybody around me, people
[02:59.67] It seems like everybody got the blues
[03:01.45] But I had 'em a long time
[03:04.12] I've really, really paid my dues
[03:08.60] You know I ain't ashamed of it, people
[03:11.35] I just love to sing my blues
[03:41.11] I walk through the cities, people
[03:43.87] On my bare feet
[03:45.61] I had a fill of catfish and chitterlings
[03:47.46] Up in Downbill Street
[03:50.28] You know I'm singing the blues
[03:52.99] Yes, I really
[03:57.47] I just have to sing my blues
[03:58.30] I've been around a long time
[04:00.13] People, I've really, really paid my dues
[04:04.61] Now Father Time is catching up with me
[04:08.21] Gone is my youth
[04:10.08] I look in the mirror everyday
[04:11.80] And let it tell me the truth
[04:14.55] I'm singing the blues
[04:17.25] Mm, I just have to sing the blues
[04:21.75] I've been around a long time
[04:23.55] Yes, yes, I've really paid some dues
[04:53.39] Yeah, they told me everything
[04:55.12] Would be better out in the country
[04:57.82] Everything was fine
[04:59.63] I caught me a bus uptown, baby
[05:02.38] And every people, all the people
[05:04.13] Got the same trouble as mine
[05:05.90] I got the blues, huh huh
[05:09.52] I say I've been around a long time
[05:14.03] I've really paid some dues
[05:15.88] One more time, fellows!
[05:18.67] Blind man on the corner
[05:20.46] Begging for a dime
[05:23.19] The rollers come and caught him
[05:24.03] And throw him in the jail for a crime
[05:27.67] I got the blues
[05:29.46] Mm, I'm singing my blues
[05:33.95] I've been around a long time
[05:36.63] Mm, I've really paid some dues
[05:39.35] Can we do just one more?
[05:42.14] Oh I thought I'd go down to the welfare
[05:43.90] To get myself some grits and stuff
[05:46.66] But a lady stand up and she said
[05:48.47] "You haven't been around long enough"
[05:52.01] That's why I got the blues
[05:53.88] Mm, the blues
[05:58.35] I say, I've been around a long time
[06:01.01] I've really, really paid my dues
[06:04.63] Fellows, tell them one more time
[08:09.01] Ha, ha, ha. That's all right, fellows
[08:13.57] Yeah!
[08:15.49]