The Blues
Andreas 13 Lyrics


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I sing the BLUES in the hull of a ship
beneath the sting of a slavemaster's whip
I sing the BLUES on a ship anchored to dock
my family being sold on a slave block
I sing the BLUES being torn from my first born
and hung my head and cried
when my wife took his life
and then committed suicide
I sing the BLUES on a slavemaster's plantation
helpin him build his free nation
I sing the BLUES in the cotton field
hustlin to make the daily yield
I sing the BLUES when he forced my woman to bed
lawd KNOWS how I wish he was dead
I sing the BLUES on the run.. {*fades out*}

[Andreas 13]
{It-it-it, it takes, it-it ta-it
It takes..} solitude, to contemplate a dope rhyme
Drop the bass as I go for mine
13, and I'm chillin with the X Man
I choose to spews the blues, so you can understand
I'm harder than the steel forged in a hot fire
The Prince of Power, the ink of desire
Engagin Andreas in the muck or the mire
I got a storm - and she is a live one
Singin in the background, promisin the stars the moon
and the sun sayin, "Dre' I got a new life
and I've just begun, a rerun might be fun"
Now I play to win the game, to be put on
This is what, gives me the blues, word is bond
So now I'm gone..

{That's why I sing the blues..}
{That's why I sing the blues..}
{That's why I sing the blues..}

[Andreas 13]
Now, it's the blues, so don't snooze, check out how I kick it
A def beat that's dope wild and wicked
A mad brother, that is God gifted
So tell me why am I another statistic
Payin all my bills and still bein evicted
Slum lord brought a rate height and I ripped it
Broken lights, and no hot water
You got nerve in here, beggin for a quarter
Burn this bitch down, is what I oughta do
and that's comin from the workin man's point of view
The first of the month and all my bills are due
I pay the light bill and pay the phone bill do
because if I don't, my po' ass is through
My po' ass is through

{That's why I sing the blues..}
{That's why I sing the blues..}
{That's why I..}

[Andreas 13]
I got a job - workin and smirkin for Apartheid County
It takes two weeks to step collect my bounty
and damn, I can't believe the way they tax me
A third of my pay G? Exactly!
Yeah they think they got me, sweatin for a paycheck
Hearin my boss riff with empty threats
But I don't worry, and I don't fret
Just daydream about regrets
Would I do it all over again? No words
Cause workin everyday, and still bein broke..
.. is strictly to the curb!

{That's why I sing the blues..}
{That's why I sing the blues..}
{That's why I sing the blues..}

[Andreas 13]
Now my girl, I tell her that I love her
She says if you do, you must suffer - SUCKA
So she moves in with another - brother
Claimin to me, she needs two lovers
One for the sex, and one for the money
You know which one I was, but not to be funny
Let me tell you all about this sourpuss honey
Was she slick, and was she crummy
cause I believed her when she said she loved me
Oh boy, what a dummy
because behind the back, everyone ain't true
You see I live with someone, and scummy does too
She said, "It's good for me.. if it's good for you"

{That's why I sing the blues..}
{That's why I, I have to sing the blues..}
{Ahhh-hahhh, that's why I.. that's why I..}
{That's why I got to sing the blues..}
{ooooh-hooooooooo..}

{*continues in background w/ variations}
I sing the BLUES in church on Sunday
slavin on Monday, misused on Tuesday
abused on Wednesday, accuased on Thursday
fried alive on Friday, and died on Saturday
sho' nuff singin the blues
I sing the BLUES that a sucka thought we couldn't bring
I tell him sho' nuff the blues is my thing
I sing the backwater BLUES, rhythm and BLUES
gospel BLUES, St. Louis BLUES, North Carolina BLUES
Chicago BLUES, Mississippi god-DAMN BLUES
The Watts BLUES, Harlem BLUES, ?? BLUES
Gut-funky BLUES, funky chunky BLUES
I sing the up North cigarette cough BLUES
The down South strung out the side of my mouth BLUES
I sing the BLUES black
I sing the BLUES blacker
I sing the BLUES blackest..

{That's why I sing the blues..}




{That's why I..}
{That's why I sing the blues..}

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Andreas 13's song "The Blues" depict the struggle and suffering that Black people have endured throughout history due to slavery, discrimination, poverty, and unfaithfulness. The first verse describes the life of a slave who experiences separation from his family, the loss of his child, and his wife's tragic death. He sings about working on a plantation and being forced to have sex with a woman against his will. Then the song transitions to the story of the artist himself, who faces financial struggles, discrimination, unaffordable living, and unfaithfulness from his partner.


The song highlights the pain, oppression, and hopelessness that many Black people have felt throughout their lives. It portrays how the blues music genre emerged as a means of expressing this pain and also as a way of finding catharsis, courage, and pride in one's identity.


Some of the key phrases in the lyrics, such as "That's why I sing the blues," are repeated throughout the song and serve as a reminder of the purpose and meaning of the blues. Ultimately, the song invites the listener to connect with this painful history and to recognize the resilience and creativity that have arisen from it.


Line by Line Meaning

I sing the BLUES in the hull of a ship
I sing the blues while confined in a ship's hull


beneath the sting of a slavemaster's whip
feeling the pain of a slave owner's whips


I sing the BLUES on a ship anchored to dock
I sing the blues while watching my family being sold on a slave block


my family being sold on a slave block
witnessing the sale of my family on a slave block


I sing the BLUES being torn from my first born
feeling the pain of separation from my child


and hung my head and cried
crying in sorrow


when my wife took his life and then committed suicide
mourning the loss of my wife and child, who were killed and committed suicide


I sing the BLUES on a slavemaster's plantation
singing the blues while working on a slave owner's plantation


helpin him build his free nation
being forced to work for a slave owner's benefit


I sing the BLUES in the cotton field
singing the blues while working in a cotton field


hustlin to make the daily yield
working hard to meet the daily quota


I sing the BLUES when he forced my woman to bed
feeling the pain of my partner being raped by a slave owner


lawd KNOWS how I wish he was dead
wishing for the death of the slave owner


I sing the BLUES in church on Sunday
singing the blues while struggling in life


slavin on Monday, misused on Tuesday
being used and abused every day in life


abused on Wednesday, accuased on Thursday
continuing to face abuse and accusations


fried alive on Friday, and died on Saturday
being oppressed every day of the week


sho' nuff singin the blues
expressing the blues genuinely


I sing the BLUES that a sucka thought we couldn't bring
singing the blues that many thought could never be expressed


I tell him sho' nuff the blues is my thing
asserting that blues is an essential part of me


I sing the backwater BLUES, rhythm and BLUES
sing all types of blues ranging from backwater, rhythm, to gospel


gospel BLUES, St. Louis BLUES, North Carolina BLUES
singing blues with geographic identity


Chicago BLUES, Mississippi god-DAMN BLUES
singing blues with references to different places, including Mississippi


The Watts BLUES, Harlem BLUES, ?? BLUES
singing blues with reference to Watts and Harlem


Gut-funky BLUES, funky chunky BLUES
singing blues with different beats and rhythms


I sing the up North cigarette cough BLUES
singing blues with a reference to up North cigarettes


The down South strung out the side of my mouth BLUES
singing blues about hardship in the south and physical effects


I sing the BLUES black
singing blues as a Black person


I sing the BLUES blacker
singing blues with a stronger identification with being Black


I sing the BLUES blackest..
singing blues as a deep expression of Black identity




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

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