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

Mm, 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 chitterlings

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

Mm, 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

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

Mm, i'm singing my blues

I've been around a long time

Mm, 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

Mm, the blues

I say, i've been around a long time

I've really, really paid my dues



Fellows, tell them one more time.



Ha, ha, ha. that's all right, fellows.

Yeah!