Why I Sing The Blues
B.B. King Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Everybody wants to know
Why I sing the blues
Yes, I say everybody wanna know
Why I sing the blues
Well, I've been around a long time
I really have paid my dues

When I first got the blues
They brought me over on a ship
Men were standing over me
And a lot more with the whip
And everybody wanna know
Why I sing the blues
Well, I've been around a long time
Mm, I've really paid my dues

I've laid in a ghetto flat
Cold and numb
I heard the rats tell the bedbugs
To give the roaches some
Everybody wanna know
Why I'm singing the blues
Yes, I've been around a long time
People, I've paid my dues

I stood in line
Down at the County Hall
I heard a man say, "We're gonna build
Some new apartments for y'all"
And everybody wanna know
Yes, they wanna know
Why I'm singing the blues
Yes, I've been around a long, long time
Yes, I've really, really paid my dues

Now I'm gonna play Lucille

My kid's gonna grow up
Gonna grow up to be a fool
'Cause they ain't got no more room
No more room for him in school
And everybody wanna know
Everybody wanna know
Why I'm singing the blues
I say I've been around a long time
Yes, I've really paid some dues

Yeah, you know the company told me
Guess you're born to lose
Everybody around me, people
It seems like everybody got the blues
But I had 'em a long time
I've really, really paid my dues
You know I ain't ashamed of it, people
I just love to sing my blues

I walk through the cities, people
On my bare feet
I had a fill of catfish and chitterlings
Up and down Beal Street
You know I'm singing the blues
Yes, I really
I just have to sing my blues
I've been around a long time
People, I've really, really paid my dues

Now Father time is catching up with me
Gone is my youth
I look in the mirror everyday
And let it tell me the truth
I'm singing the blues
Mm, I just have to sing the blues
I've been around a long time
Yes, yes, I've really paid some dues

Yeah, they told me everything
Would be better out in the country
Everything was fine
I caught me a bus uptown, baby
And every people, all the people
Got the same trouble as mine
I got the blues, huh huh
I say I've been around a long time
I've really paid some dues

One more time, fellows!

Blind man on the corner
Begging for a dime
The rollers come and caught him
And throw him in the jail for a crime
I got the blues
Mm, I'm singing my blues
I've been around a long time
Mm, I've really paid some dues

Can we do just one more?

Oh I thought I'd go down to the welfare
To get myself some grits and stuff
But a lady stand up and she said
"You haven't been around long enough"
That's why I got the blues
Mm, the blues
I say, I've been around a long time
I've really, really paid my dues

Fellows, tell them one more time





That's all right, fellows (yeah!)

Overall Meaning

The song "Why I Sing the Blues" by B.B. King is a reflection on the trials and tribulations he has faced throughout his life, beginning with his arrival in America as a slave. He describes how he was brought over on a ship and beaten by men with whips. Despite his hardships, King persevered and continued to make music. He sings about living in a ghetto, where he overheard rats and bedbugs talking to roaches. He also mentions standing in line at County Hall, where he was promised new apartments that were never built. King's children, facing a lack of space in schools, are a source of frustration for him as he reflects on his life.


Throughout "Why I Sing the Blues," King emphasizes the fact that he has been paying his dues for a very long time. The chorus returns multiple times throughout the song, highlighting the fact that people are always asking him why he sings the blues. From the perspective of the listener, it becomes clear that his life experiences inspire him to reflect on his struggles in his music.


Overall, King's song is a powerful reflection on the hardships he has faced throughout a life marked by racial discrimination, poverty, and inequality. Through his music and his words, King is able to communicate the depth of his struggles and the power of his resilience.


Line by Line Meaning

Everybody wants to know
People are curious


Why I sing the blues
Why I express my sadness through music


Yes, I say everybody wanna know
I restate people's curiosity


Well, I've been around a long time
I have lived a lot


I really have paid my dues
I have gone through a lot of struggles


When I first got the blues
When I first got sad


They brought me over on a ship
They brought me over from Africa as a slave


Men were standing over me
Slave owners were oppressing me


And a lot more with the whip
Slave owners punished me harshly


I've laid in a ghetto flat
I have lived in poor conditions


Cold and numb
Cold and without feeling


I heard the rats tell the bedbugs
I lived with a lot of vermin


To give the roaches some
Roaches were also present


I stood in line
I waited in line


Down at the County Hall
At the government building


I heard a man say, "We're gonna build
I overhead a government official talking about their plans to help the people


Some new apartments for y'all"
By building new places for people to live


Now I'm gonna play Lucille
Now I'm going to play my guitar


My kid's gonna grow up
My children will grow up


Gonna grow up to be a fool
They are not going to have many opportunities


'Cause they ain't got no more room
They don't have space to learn


No more room for him in school
There isn't any more space for children to learn


Now Father time is catching up with me
Now I am getting old


Gone is my youth
My youth has faded away


I look in the mirror everyday
I assess myself daily


And let it tell me the truth
I am honest with myself


Yeah, they told me everything
People convinced me


Would be better out in the country
Moving to the countryside would bring me a better life


The same trouble as mine
The same problems and sadness that I face


Blind man on the corner
A blind beggar on the street corner


Begging for a dime
Asking for money


The rollers come and caught him
Police arrest him


To get myself some grits and stuff
To receive government food assistance


You haven't been around long enough"
You don't have enough experience


That's all right, fellows (yeah!)
It is alright




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: B.B. King, Dave Clark

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Chama Lama

Everybody wants to know
Why I sing the blues
Yes, I say everybody wanna know
Why I sing the blues
Well, I've been around a long time
I really have paid my dues

When I first got the blues
They brought me over on a ship
Men were standing over me
And a lot more with a whip
And everybody wanna know
Why I sing the blues
Well, I've been around a long time
Mm, I've really paid my dues

I've laid in a ghetto flat
Cold and numb
I heard the rats tell the bedbugs
To give the roaches some
Everybody wanna know
Why I'm singing the blues
Yes, I've been around a long time
People, I've paid my dues

I stood in line
Down at the County Hall
I heard a man say, "We're gonna build
Some new apartments for y'all"
And everybody wanna know
Yes, they wanna know
Why I'm singing the blues
Yes, I've been around a long, long time
Yes, I've really, really paid my dues

Now I'm gonna play Lucille

My kid's gonna grow up
Gonna grow up to be a fool
'Cause they ain't got no more room
No more room for him in school
And everybody wanna know
Everybody wanna know
Why I'm singing the blues
I say I've been around a long time
Yes, I've really paid some dues

Yeah, you know the company told me
Guess you're born to lose
Everybody around me, people
It seems like everybody got the blues
But I had 'em a long time
I've really, really paid my dues
You know I ain't ashamed of it, people
I just love to sing my blues

I walk through the cities, people
On my bare feet
I had a fill of catfish and chitterlings
Up and down Beal Street
You know I'm singing the blues
Yes, I really
I just have to sing my blues
I've been around a long time
People, I've really, really paid my dues

Now Father Time is catching up with me
Gone is my youth
I look in the mirror everyday
And let it tell me the truth
I'm singing the blues
Mm, I just have to sing the blues
I've been around a long time
Yes, yes, I've really paid some dues

Yeah, they told me everything
Would be better out in the country
Everything was fine
I caught me a bus uptown, baby
And every people, all the people
Got the same trouble as mine
I got the blues, huh huh
I say I've been around a long time
I've really paid some dues

One more time, fellows!

Blind man on the corner
Begging for a dime
The rollers come and caught him
And throw him in the jail for a crime
I got the blues
Mm, I'm singing my blues
I've been around a long time
Mm, I've really paid some dues

Can we do just one more?

Oh I thought I'd go down to the welfare
To get myself some grits and stuff
But a lady stand up and she said
"You haven't been around long enough"
That's why I got the blues
Mm, the blues
I say, I've been around a long time
I've really, really paid my dues

Fellows, tell them one more time

Ha, ha, ha That's all right, fellows
Yeah!



Enrique Aldanondo

Todos quieren saber
¿Por qué canto el blues?
Sí, digo que todos quieren saber
¿Por qué canto el blues?
Bueno, he estado por mucho tiempo
Realmente he pagado mis deudas.
Cuando tuve el blues por primera vez
Me trajeron en un barco
Los hombres estaban parados sobre mi
Y mucho más con un látigo
Y todos quieren saber
¿Por qué canto el blues?
Bueno, he estado por mucho tiempo
Mm, realmente he pagado mis deudas.
Me he acostado en un gueto
Frío y adormecido
Escuché a las ratas decirle a las chinches
Para darles a las cucarachas
Todos quieren saber
¿Por qué estoy cantando el blues?
Sí, he estado por mucho tiempo
Gente, he pagado mis deudas.
Me paré en línea
Abajo en el pasillo del condado
Escuché a un hombre decir:
"Vamos a construir algunos apartamentos nuevos para todos ustedes "
Y todos quieren saber
Si, quieren saber
¿Por qué estoy cantando el blues?
Sí, he estado por mucho, mucho tiempo
Sí, realmente he pagado mis deudas.
Ahora voy a interpretar a Lucille.Guitarra
Mi hijo va a crecer
Voy a crecer para ser un tonto
Porque no tienen más espacio
No más espacio para él en la escuela
Y todos quieren saber
Todos quieren saber
¿Por qué estoy cantando el blues?
Digo que he estado por mucho tiempo
Sí, realmente he pagado algunas deudas.
Sí, sabes que la compañía me dijo
Supongo que naciste para perder
Todos a mi alrededor, personas
Parece que todo el mundo tiene el blues
Pero los tuve mucho tiempo
Realmente, realmente pagué mis deudas
Sabes que no me avergüenzo, gente
Me encanta cantar mi blues.
Camino por las ciudades, gente
En mis pies descalzos
Estaba lleno de bagre y chinchulines
Arriba en la calle Downbill
Sabes que estoy cantando el blues
Si realmente
Solo tengo que cantar mi blues
He estado por mucho tiempo
La gente, realmente, realmente pagué mis deudas.
Ahora el padre tiempo me está alcanzando
Se fue mi juventud
Me miro en el espejo todos los días
Y deja que me diga la verdad
Estoy cantando el blues
Mm, solo tengo que cantar el blues
He estado por mucho tiempo
Sí, sí, realmente he pagado algunas deudas.
Si, me dijeron todo
Estaría mejor en el país
Todo estuvo bien
Me cogí un autobús en el centro, cariño
Y cada gente, toda la gente
Tengo el mismo problema que el mío
Tengo el blues, eh eh
Digo que he estado por mucho tiempo
Realmente he pagado algunas deudas.
¡Una vez más, muchachos! ...
Ciego en la esquina
Pidiendo un centavo
Los rodillos vienen y lo atrapan
Y echarlo a la cárcel por un crimen
Tengo el blues
Estoy cantando mi blues
He estado por mucho tiempo
Mm, realmente he pagado algunas deudas.
¿Podemos hacer uno más?
Oh, pensé que iría al bienestar
Para conseguir algunos granos y esas cosas
Pero una dama se puso de pie y ella dijo
"No has estado el tiempo suficiente"
Es por eso que tengo el blues
Mm, el blues
Digo, he estado por mucho tiempo
Realmente, realmente pagué mis deudas.
Compañeros, díganles una vez más.
Jajaja. Eso está bien, amigos ... ¡Si!



All comments from YouTube:

Catherine Oxner

I have listened to this guy since I was a kid, now I am a senior citizen and he still sounds good. This guy has his own style of singing and playing and it is unique, clear and very entertaining. Make room for him in Heaven, he and the angels will keep things moving. I loved you and I miss you B. B. King.

Ryann

Heaven is blessed❤

Kuskule

A masterpiece from the Master. One could learn drumming, guitar playing, bass plаying, singing out of this... What a genius...

Pablo Pérez

Amazing bass, gets hotter and hotter

Mullah Osk

Lucille can still give me goosebumps, even after 35 years of listening to this awesome track.

Barbara

Mullah, Lucille is awesome; But, that Bass is whipping!

Alternativa77 Culture

Vai com Deus velho King. Vc já (é) era um personagem histórico.
Respect From Brazil.

Tomora Wyrick-Small

This is a big big man here. It goes deeper than any note can carry. It was my childhood. Rest in peace and sleep in eternal grace.

Chama Lama

Everybody wants to know
Why I sing the blues
Yes, I say everybody wanna know
Why I sing the blues
Well, I've been around a long time
I really have paid my dues

When I first got the blues
They brought me over on a ship
Men were standing over me
And a lot more with a whip
And everybody wanna know
Why I sing the blues
Well, I've been around a long time
Mm, I've really paid my dues

I've laid in a ghetto flat
Cold and numb
I heard the rats tell the bedbugs
To give the roaches some
Everybody wanna know
Why I'm singing the blues
Yes, I've been around a long time
People, I've paid my dues

I stood in line
Down at the County Hall
I heard a man say, "We're gonna build
Some new apartments for y'all"
And everybody wanna know
Yes, they wanna know
Why I'm singing the blues
Yes, I've been around a long, long time
Yes, I've really, really paid my dues

Now I'm gonna play Lucille

My kid's gonna grow up
Gonna grow up to be a fool
'Cause they ain't got no more room
No more room for him in school
And everybody wanna know
Everybody wanna know
Why I'm singing the blues
I say I've been around a long time
Yes, I've really paid some dues

Yeah, you know the company told me
Guess you're born to lose
Everybody around me, people
It seems like everybody got the blues
But I had 'em a long time
I've really, really paid my dues
You know I ain't ashamed of it, people
I just love to sing my blues

I walk through the cities, people
On my bare feet
I had a fill of catfish and chitterlings
Up and down Beal Street
You know I'm singing the blues
Yes, I really
I just have to sing my blues
I've been around a long time
People, I've really, really paid my dues

Now Father Time is catching up with me
Gone is my youth
I look in the mirror everyday
And let it tell me the truth
I'm singing the blues
Mm, I just have to sing the blues
I've been around a long time
Yes, yes, I've really paid some dues

Yeah, they told me everything
Would be better out in the country
Everything was fine
I caught me a bus uptown, baby
And every people, all the people
Got the same trouble as mine
I got the blues, huh huh
I say I've been around a long time
I've really paid some dues

One more time, fellows!

Blind man on the corner
Begging for a dime
The rollers come and caught him
And throw him in the jail for a crime
I got the blues
Mm, I'm singing my blues
I've been around a long time
Mm, I've really paid some dues

Can we do just one more?

Oh I thought I'd go down to the welfare
To get myself some grits and stuff
But a lady stand up and she said
"You haven't been around long enough"
That's why I got the blues
Mm, the blues
I say, I've been around a long time
I've really, really paid my dues

Fellows, tell them one more time

Ha, ha, ha That's all right, fellows
Yeah!

treponemapalidum

Thanks for the lyrics

More Comments

More Versions