Why I Sing the Blues

ross Harp

4 -4 -3′ 2 -3” 2 -3′ 2 2 -3′ -3′ -2 -2 -2

5 -3′ -3′-3′ -3′ -2 -2 -2 2 -2 -2 2
Every bod-y wants to know why I sing the blues

5 -4 4 -4 4-3′ -2 -2 -2 -2
Yes, I say everybod-y wants to know
-2 2 -2 -3′ -2
why I sing the blues

-3′ -3′ 4 4 -4 -3′ -3′ -2
Well, I’ve been around a long time,

-3” -3′ -3′ 2 -2 -2 2
I real -ly have paid my dues.

(first verse)

2 -2 -3 -3” -2 -2
When I first got the blues,
2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 2 -3
they brought me o-ver on a ship,

-3′ -2 -2 -2 -2-2 -2 -2
Men were standing over me
-2 -2 5 4 -3 -2 -3 2
and alot more with the whip,

(chorus)

2 -3 -3 -3 -2′ -2 -2
Everybody wanna know

-3′ 2 -2 -3′ -2
Why I sing the blues

-3 -3 -3 -3 4 -4 -3′ -2 -2
Well, I’ve been around a long time,

-3′ -2 2 -3′ -3′ -2 -2 -2
MMM, I real-ly paid my dues.

(second verse)
I’ve laid in the ghetto flat, cold and numb,
I heard the rats tell the bedbugs to give the roaches some.
(chorus)

(third verse)
I stood in line down in the county hall
I heard a man say, ” We are going to build some new apartments for
y’all.”
(chorus)