Oh

They say some people long ago

Were searching for a diff'rent tune

One that they could croon

As only they can

They only had the rhythm so

They started swaying to and fro

They didn't know just what they had

And that is how the blues really began

They heard the breeze in the trees

Singing weird melodies

And they made that

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 out on a hill

They took a new note

Pushed it through a horn

'Til it was born into a blue note

And then they nursed it

Rehearsed it

And gave out the news

That the southland

Gave birth to the blues