Shaking the Blues Away
Doris Day Lyrics


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There's an old superstition 'way down south
Everybody believes that trouble won't stay
If you shake it away

When they hold a revival way down south
Everybody with care and trouble that day
Tries to shake it away
Shaking the blues away, unhappy news away
If you are blue, it's easy to
Shake off your cares and troubles

Telling the blues to go, they may refuse to go
But as a rule, they'll go if you'll
Shake them away

Do like the voodoos do, listening to a voodoo melody
They shake their bodies so, to and fro
With every shake, a lucky break

Proving that there's a way to chase your cares away
If you would lose your weary blues
Shake 'em away

Shaking the blues away, unhappy news away
If you are blue, it's easy to
Shake off your cares and troubles

Telling the blues to go, they may refuse to go
But as a rule, they'll go if you'll
Shake them away

Do like the voodoos do, listening to a voodoo melody
They shake their bodies so, to and fro
With every shake, a lucky break

Proving that there's a way to chase your cares away
If you would lose your weary blues
Shake 'em away

Gotta chase those cares away




Just to prove that there's a way
A way to shake shake your blues away

Overall Meaning

Doris Day’s upbeat tune, Shaking the Blues Away, is all about taking control of your own mental and emotional state. The song talks about an old superstition in the South that if you shake something away, you can make the bad luck go away. Similarly, during a revival, those feeling down will shake their worries and troubles away. The song encourages listeners to shake off their own blues in a fun and lighthearted way, by dancing and listening to music.


The chorus repeats the idea of “shaking the blues away” as an effective method to relieve stress and sadness. The song also references voodoo, a belief system known for its emphasis on dancing and music in religious and spiritual practices. The lyrics suggest that following their lead can result in a lucky break and a happier mindset. The song concludes on a hopeful note, advocating that there is always a way to make yourself feel better, and it starts with taking action.


Line by Line Meaning

There's an old superstition 'way down south
In the southern part of the United States, there exists an age-old belief


Everybody believes that trouble won't stay
The belief is that trouble and misfortunes can be banished


If you shake it away
By shaking off negative feelings, one can free oneself from troubles


When they hold a revival way down south
Revival meetings are commonly held in the southern US


Everybody with care and trouble that day
Those who attend such meetings usually come with worries and problems


Tries to shake it away
They attempt to be rid of their difficulties by shaking it away


Shaking the blues away, unhappy news away
Shaking can help alleviate feelings of sadness and despair, as well as negative news


If you are blue, it's easy to
If you are feeling down, it is easy to


Shake off your cares and troubles
shake off your worries and problems


Telling the blues to go, they may refuse to go
Although it may be difficult, asking negative feelings to leave is worth a try


But as a rule, they'll go if you'll
Usually these feelings will depart if you


Shake them away
shake them away


Do like the voodoos do, listening to a voodoo melody
Pattern shaking like the followers of voodoo do while listening to voodoo-inspired music


They shake their bodies so, to and fro
Their movements involve shaking their bodies back and forth


With every shake, a lucky break
every shake is considered to bring good luck


Proving that there's a way to chase your cares away
Demonstrating that there is a method for ridding oneself of troubles


If you would lose your weary blues
If you desire to overcome your sadness and despair


Shake 'em away
use shaking to free oneself from these difficulties


Gotta chase those cares away
One has to actively pursue getting rid of their troubles


Just to prove that there's a way
To show that there is a method to achieve this


A way to shake shake your blues away
A way to use shaking to rid yourself of feeling down




Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC
Written by: IRVING BERLIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@robratchford2433

Doris Day in the mid 1950’s was in her prime both as a singer and as an actress! The phrasing of her songs and the richness of her voice during this time was absolutely outstanding! Coupled with her dancing and acting skills - what a dynamic performer!

@davidvack4382

Judy was better !

@josephpaul4548

​@@davidvack4382 And you're worse, much worse.

@robertopinheiro5677

Nobody cares!​@@davidvack4382

@drewknight7126

The Lady Could Do It All! Most All Of The Actors Today Can’t Compare! Back Then They Had To Do It All! AND DID!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

@LuzMaria95

So true!!!!!!

@eviesmail5447

I love the appreciative comments Decades later no one compares !

@davidvack4382

Agree, so could Judy ! Without the cheesecake!

@carolelacross3928

Love her the best ever

@YesItsMeGuys68

Doris Day was a national treasure !

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