Why I Sing The Blues

Instruments
  A7   A7   A7   A7
  D7   D7   A7   A7
  E7   D7   A7   A7

Verse 1
Everybody A7Wants To Know      Why I Sing ThA7e Blues                   A7        A7​
Yes, I Say D7Everybody Wanna Know      Why I Sing The D7Blues         A7                      A7​
Well, I've Been Around A E7Long Time      I Really HaveD7 Paid My Dues                         A7       A7​

Verse 2
When I FirsA7t Got The Blues   They Brought Me Over OA7n A Ship
  A7Men Were Standing Over Me     And A Lot More With A Whip A7​
And Everybody WannaD7 Know         Why I Sing The BD7lues                      A7        A7​
Well, I've Been Around A LE7ong Time      Mm, I've ReallD7y Paid My Dues                   A7              A7​

Verse 3
I've LA7aid In A Ghetto Flat    Cold And NA7umb
I HA7eard The Rats Tell The Bedbugs      To Give The RA7oaches Some
  D7Everybody Wanna Know                  Why D7I'm Singing The Blues   A7                          A7​
Yes, I've BeenE7 Around A Long Time       People, I've PD7aid My Dues                        A7       A7​

Verse 4
I StA7ood In Line      Down A7At The County Hall
I HA7eard A Man Say, "We're Gonna Build   Some New ApaA7rtments For Y'all"
And EveryD7body Wanna Know        Yes, They WannaD7 Know  Why I'm Singing The Blues                          A7                      A7​
Yes, I've Been Around A LE7ong, Long Time      Yes, I've ReallyD7, Really Paid My Dues                       A7              A7​

Verse 5
My Kid'A7s Gonna Grow Up    Gonna Grow Up To Be A FoA7ol
'Cause They A7Ain't Got No More Room       No More Room For HiA7m In School
And ED7verybody Wanna Know       Everybody Wanna D7Know   Why I'm Singing The Blues                        A7                         A7​
I Say I've Been E7Around A Long Time       Yes, I've ReD7ally Paid Some Dues                 A7                 A7​

Verse 6
Yeah, You Know The Company Told A7Me      Guess You're Born A7To Lose
  A7    Everybody Around Me, People      It Seems Like EA7verybody Got The Blues
  D7    But I Had 'Em A Long Time            I'veD7 Really, Really A7Paid My Dues                           A7​
You Know I Ain't Ashamed Of E7It, People      I Just Love To SinD7g My Blues            A7                      A7   E7​

Instruments
  A7   A7   A7   A7
  D7   D7   A7   A7
  E7   D7   A7   A7 E7

Verse 7
I WA7alk Through The Cities, People    On My Bare Feet   A7​
I HA7ad A Fill Of Catfish And Chitterlings     Up And Down BeA7ale Street
  D7    You Know I'm Singing The Blues            Yes, I D7Really   I Just HaA7ve To Sing My Blues                           A7​
  E7    I've Been Around A Long Time        People, I'D7ve Really, Really Paid My Dues             A7                     A7   E7​

Verse 8
Now Father TimA7e Is Catching Up With Me      Gone Is My Youth     A7​
  A7    I Look In The Mirror Everyday       And Let It A7Tell Me The Truth
  D7    I'm Singing The Blues                D7Mm,     I JusA7t Have To Sing The Blues                          A7​
  E7    I've Been Around A Long Time           Yes, YeD7s, I've Really Paid Some Dues          A7                       A7   E7​

Verse 9
Yeah, They Told MA7e Everything   Would Be Better Out In The Country                            A7​
Everything Was Fine A7      I Caught Me A Bus Uptown, Baby A7​
And EveryD7 People, All The People   Got The Same Trouble As MineD7  I Got The Blues, Huh Huh                         A7                 A7​
I Say I've Been E7Around A Long Time       I've Really PD7aid Some Dues       A7                        A7   E7​

Verse 10
  A7 Blind Man On The Corner      Begging ForA7 A Dime
The RolA7lers Come And Caught Him      And Throw Him In The Jail A7For A Crime
  D7    I Got The Blues          D7        Mm,  IA7'm Singing My Blues                    A7​
I've Been Around E7A Long Time      Mm, I've ReaD7lly Paid Some Dues                                A7     A7   E7​

Verse 11
Oh I ThouA7ght I'd Go Down To The Welfare    To Get Myself Some Grits A7And Stuff
  A7But A Lady Stand Up And She Said      "You Haven't Been A7Around Long Enough"
  D7    That's Why I Got The Blues                  D7Mm,  The BluesA7                    A7​
I Say, I've Been E7Around A Long Time                  I've RD7eally, Really Paid My Dues                 A7              A7   E7​

Solo 3
  A7   A7   A7   A7
  D7   D7   A7   A7
  E7   D7   A7   E7