Birth of the Blues Songtext
von Sammy Davis Jr.

Well, I guess it′s about the time now, folks
When we can relax a little bit and do a little blues for ya
So if you guys in the band are ready, let's wail for the nice people, huh?
Look out, a one, two, three

Oh, they say some people long ago
We′re lookin' for a different tune
One that we can croon
As only they can

They only had the rhythm, so
They started swingin' to and fro
They didn′t know just what to use
But this is how the blues really began
This is the way the blues really began

La-di-da, wee-da
Di-di, ah-da-wee


Yeah, they heard the breeze
Through the trees
Singing weird melodies
And they named that just the start of the blues
And from a jail
There came a wail
From a down-hearted frail
And they played that
As a part of our blues

Now from a whippoorwill
Sittin′ high on a hill
They grabbed the new note
And they pushed it through a horn
Until it was worn
Into a blue note
And then they nursed it
They rehearsed it
And then gave out the news
That the Southland really gave birth to the blues


From a whippoorwill
High on a hill
They grabbed the new note
And they pushed it through a horn
Until it was worn
Into a blue note
Then they really nursed it
They even rehearsed it
And they were so glad, so glad to give out the news
That the Southland gave birth to the blues

Did you dig me?
They nursed it
Rehearsed it
And gave out the news
That that old Southland gave birth, gave birth to the blues

Oh, that was a gas, let's do it again

From a whippoorwill
Sittin′ high on a hill
They grabbed the new note
A-and they pushed it through a horn
Until it was worn
Into a blue note
And then they, la-di, gladdy, they nursed it
They even rehearsed it
And they were so glad to give out the news
That that old Southland gave birth to the blues

Everybody, they nursed it
Rehearsed it
And gave out the news
That-that old Southland gave birth, gave birth to the blues