Birth
Chet Atkins & Les Paul Lyrics
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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
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!
The lyrics to Chet Atkins & Les Paul's "Birth" are a poetic recollection of the origins of blues music. The song's opening lines describe how some people in the past were searching for a different tune, a unique sound that no one had ever heard before. They started swaying to and fro to the rhythm they had, not fully aware of what they had in their hands. It was out of this experiment that the blues were born.
The second verse mentions how the blues' creators were inspired by the world around them. They listened to the breeze in the trees, singing weird melodies, and they turned that into the start of the blues. They also drew inspiration from the mournful wail of a downhearted prisoner in a jail cell. These elements were combined with a new note taken from a whippoorwill on a hill and pushed through a horn until it was born into what we now call the blue note.
The final verse harmonizes the various influences and says that the blues creators then "nursed it, rehearsed it and gave out the news that the Southland gave birth to the blues." This verse gives a sense of finality that speaks to the lasting and influential nature of the blues genre, and how it continues to be celebrated and evolve today.
Overall, the song is a beautiful tribute to the history of blues music, and how it emerged from the eclectic mix of sounds and experiences that make up the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh! they say some people long ago
The story goes that, quite some time ago
Were searching for a diff'rent tune
They were in search of a unique sound
One that they could croon
Something that they could sing in their own style
As only they can
In a way that was unique to them
They only had the rhythm so
All they had was a beat to work with
They started swaying to and fro
And so they began to dance and move their bodies to that rhythm
They didn't know just what they had
However, they weren't aware of what they were creating
And that is how the blues really began
Which is how we got the origins of the blues genre
They heard the breeze in the trees
One time, they heard the wind rustling the leaves and branches
Singing weird melodies
And it sounded like some sort of strange tune
And they made that
So they took that sound and made it their own
The start of the blues
And that was the beginning of blues music
And from a jail came the wail
Another instance, they heard someone singing a sad tune
Of a down hearted frail
From someone who was feeling really low and defeated
And they played that
So they took that sound as well
As part of the blues
And incorporated it into the growing genre of blues music
From a whippoorwill out on a hill
Then one day, they heard a bird singing on a hill
They took a new note
That note inspired them to create something new
Pushed it through a horn
So they played it on an instrument to amplify the sound
'til it was born into a blue note
Until it finally became that signature 'blue note' sound
And then they nursed it, rehearsed it
They worked on developing that sound and refining it
And gave out the news
And then they started to share it with others
That the southland
They let everyone know that the birthplace of this new sound
Gave birth to the blues!
Was in the southern states, and thus Blues music was born!
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: B.G. DESYLVA, LEW BROWN, RAY HENDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@missycake1
Just beautiful. I can see my dad sitting in the living room playing his guitar every night after supper. He was great too....just not famous.
@MsCatreona
This is the definition of music, or maybe of Heaven. Thank you so much for posting!
@pattykake19
Beautiful. I love all of this wonderful music. Thanks so much for posting. Daffydoug, you are a music genius. Love you.
@donsainty8239
Long time since I heard these guys, just brings back a long time ago memory, thanks for posting this
@pablo1079
Had to add this to the country and rock playlist!!! Great stuff!!
@johnbrothers2166
Two of the best.
@avratt
This is guitar heaven
@sniperalta13
2:01-2:10 almost gave me an out of body experience. really classy.It's not how fast the notes in the guitar, what matters is how you play it and that 10 seconds would be one of my favorite notes. *hands down to the masters
@collette333
PURE MAGIC....
@aleksanderdobrowolski8819
amazing !!!love blues like this !!!!!!!!