The Birth of the Blues

Oh, they say some darkies long ago
Were searching for a different tune
One that they could croon, as only they can
They only had the rhythm so
They started swayin' to and fro
They didn’t know just what to use
That's how those blues really began

They heard the breeze in the trees
Singing weird melodies
And they named that the start of the blues
Then from a jail, came the wail
Of a down-hearted frail
And they played that as part of the blues

From a whippoorwill out on the hill
They took a new note
Pushed it through a horn
Till it was worn into a blue note
And then they nursed it, rehearsed it
Then gave out the news
That the Southland gave birth to the blues

They heard the breeze in the trees
They were singing weird melodies
And they took that and made it the start of the blues
And then from a jail, came a little forlorn wail
From a down-hearted frail
And they took that and made it part of the blues

And then from a little whippoorwill
That was singing in the hill
They took a sweet new note
And they pushed it in the horn
Till it was worn into a wonderful blue note
And then, and then they nursed it, they nursed it
Rehearsed it, rehearsed it
And then gave out the news
That the Southland gave birth to the blues