C7Everybody wants to know

Why I sing the blues
Yes, F7I say everybody wanna know
Why I C7sing the blues
Well, I've been G7around a long time
F7I really have paid my C7dues

When C7I first got the blues

They brought me over on a ship

Men were standing over me

And a lot more with a whip
F7And everybody wanna know
Why I sing the C7blues
Well, I've been G7around a long time
F7Mm, I've really paid my C7dues



C7I've laid in a ghetto flat

Cold and numb

I heard the rats tell the bedbugs

To give the roaches some
F7Everybody wanna know
Why I'm C7singing the blues
Yes, I've been G7around a long time
F7People, I've paid my C7dues

I C7stood in line

Down at the County Hall

I heard a man say, "We're gonna build

Some new apartments for y'all"
F7And everybody wanna know

Yes, they wanna know
Why I'm C7singing the blues
Yes, I've been G7around a long, long time
F7Yes, I've really, really paid my C7dues

(Now I'm gonna play Lucille)



C7
F7 C7
G7 F7 C7


My C7kid'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
F7And everybody wanna know

Everybody wanna know
Why I'm C7singing the blues
I say I've been G7around a long time
F7Yes, I've really paid some C7dues

Yeah, you know C7the company told me

Guess you're born to lose

Everybody around me, people
It seems like everybody got the F7blues

But I had 'em a long time
I've C7really, really paid my dues
You know I G7ain't ashamed of it, people
F7I just love to sing my C7blues



C7
F7 C7
G7 F7 C7


I C7walk through the cities, people

On my bare feet

I had a fill of catfish and chitterlings

Up in Downbill Street
F7You know I'm singing the blues
Yes, I C7really

I just have to sing my blues
G7I've been around a long time
F7People, I've really, C7really paid my dues

Now C7Father Time is catching up with me

Gone is my youth

I look in the mirror everyday

And let it tell me the truth
F7I'm singing the blues
Mm, C7I just have to sing the blues
G7I've been around a long time
F7Yes, yes, I've really C7paid some dues




Yeah, C7they told me everything

Would be better out in the country

Everything was fine

I caught me a bus uptown, baby
F7And every people, all the people

Got the same trouble as mine
C7I got the blues, huh huh
I say I've been G7around a long time
F7I've really paid C7some dues

One more time, fellows!

C7Blind man on the corner

Begging for a dime

The rollers come and caught him
And throw him in the jail for a crime F7  

I got the blues
Mm, I'm C7singing my blues
I've been G7around a long time
F7Mm, I've really paid some C7dues


Can we do just one more?

C7Oh 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"  F7  

That's why I got the blues
Mm, C7the blues
I G7say, I've been around a long time
F7I've really, really paid C7my dues

Fellows, tell them one more time