Birth of the Blues Songtext
von Johnny Hartman

Oh, they say some people long, long ago
They were searching for a 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 have a thing to lose
Now this is how the blues really began

They heard the breeze in the trees
Singing the weirdest melodies
And they played that
As a part of the blues
Then from a jail came the wail
She was an old beat-up thrill
But they played that
As a part of the blues


Then from a whippoorwill
High on a hill, they took a new note
They shuffled it through a horn 'til it was worn
Into a new note
And then they nursed it, they rehearsed it
And then they sent out the news
That the Southland
Gave birth to the blues

Hey, from that whippoorwill
High on a hill, they took a new note
They shuffled it through a horn ′til it was worn
Into a new note
And then they nursed it, yes, they rehearsed it
And then they gave out the news
That the Southland
Gave birth to the blues

Oh, that the Southland
Gave birth to the blues