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!