| Everybody wants to know
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| Why I sing the blues
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| Yes, I say everybody wanna know
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| Why I sing the blues
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| Well, I’ve been around a long time
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| I really have paid my dues
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| When I first got the blues
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| They brought me over on a ship
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| Men were standing over me And a lot more with a whip
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| And everybody wanna know
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| Why I sing the blues
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| Well, I’ve been around a long time
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| Mm, I’ve really paid my dues
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| I’ve laid in a ghetto flat
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| Cold and numb
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| I heard the rats tell the bedbugs
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| To give the roaches some
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| Everybody wanna know
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| Why I’m singing the blues
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| Yes, I’ve been around a long time
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| People, I’ve paid my dues
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| I stood in line
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| Down at the County Hall
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| I heard a man say, «We're gonna build
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| Some new apartments for y’all»
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| And everybody wanna know
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| Yes, they wanna know
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| Why I’m singing the blues
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| Yes, I’ve been around a long, long time
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| Yes, I’ve really, really paid my dues
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| Now I’m gonna play Lucille.
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| My kid’s gonna grow up Gonna grow up to be a fool
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| 'Cause they ain’t got no more room
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| No more room for him in school
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| And everybody wanna know
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| Everybody wanna know
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| Why I’m singing the blues
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| I say I’ve been around a long time
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| Yes, I’ve really paid some dues
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| Yeah, you know the company told me Guess you’re born to lose
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| Everybody around me, people
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| It seems like everybody got the blues
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| But I had 'em a long time
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| I’ve really, really paid my dues
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| You know I ain’t ashamed of it, people
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| I just love to sing my blues
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| I walk through the cities, people
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| On my bare feet
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| I had a fill of catfish and chitterlings
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| Up and down Beal Street
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| You know I’m singing the blues
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| Yes, I really
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| I just have to sing my blues
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| I’ve been around a long time
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| People, I’ve really, really paid my dues
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| Now Father Time is catching up with me Gone is my youth
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| I look in the mirror everyday
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| And let it tell me the truth
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| I’m singing the blues
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| Mm, I just have to sing the blues
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| I’ve been around a long time
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| Yes, yes, I’ve really paid some dues
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| Yeah, they told me everything
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| Would be better out in the country
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| Everything was fine
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| I caught me a bus uptown, baby
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| And every people, all the people
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| Got the same trouble as mine
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| I got the blues, huh huh
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| I say I’ve been around a long time
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| I’ve really paid some dues
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| One more time, fellows!
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| Blind man on the corner
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| Begging for a dime
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| The rollers come and caught him
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| And throw him in the jail for a crime
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| I got the blues
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| Mm, I’m singing my blues
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| I’ve been around a long time
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| Mm, I’ve really paid some dues
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| Can we do just one more?
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| Oh I thought I’d go down to the welfare
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| To get myself some grits and stuff
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| But a lady stand up and she said
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| «You haven’t been around long enough»
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| That’s why I got the blues
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| Mm, the blues
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| I say, I’ve been around a long time
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| I’ve really, really paid my dues
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| Fellows, tell them one more time.
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| Ha, ha, ha. |
| That’s all right, fellows.
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| Yeah! |