The Birth of the Blues

These are the blues

Nothing but blues



Oh, they say some people long ago

Were searching for a diffrent tune

One that they could croon

As only they can



They only had the rhythm

They started swaying to and fro

They didn't know just what to use

That is how the blues really began



They heard the breeze in the trees

Singing weird melodies

And they made that the start, the start of the blues



And from a jail came the wail

Of a down-hearted frail

And they played that

As part of the blues



From a whippoorwill

Way up on a hill

They took a new note

Pushed it through a horn

Until it was worn

Into a blue note



And then they nursed it

They rehearsed it

And then sent out that news

That the Southland gave birth to the blues



They nursed it

And they rehearsed it

That the Southland they gave birth to the blues