I sing the BLUES in the hull of a ship

beneath the sting of a slavemaster's whip

I sing the BLUES on a ship anchored to dock

my family being sold on a slave block

I sing the BLUES being torn from my first born

and hung my head and cried

when my wife took his life

and then committed suicide

I sing the BLUES on a slavemaster's plantation

helpin him build his free nation

I sing the BLUES in the cotton field

hustlin to make the daily yield

I sing the BLUES when he forced my woman to bed

lawd KNOWS how I wish he was dead

I sing the BLUES on the run.. {*fades out*}



[Andreas 13]

{It-it-it, it takes, it-it ta-it

It takes..} solitude, to contemplate a dope rhyme

Drop the bass as I go for mine

13, and I'm chillin with the X Man

I choose to spews the blues, so you can understand

I'm harder than the steel forged in a hot fire

The Prince of Power, the ink of desire

Engagin Andreas in the muck or the mire

I got a storm - and she is a live one

Singin in the background, promisin the stars the moon

and the sun sayin, "Dre' I got a new life

and I've just begun, a rerun might be fun"

Now I play to win the game, to be put on

This is what, gives me the blues, word is bond

So now I'm gone..



{That's why I sing the blues..}

{That's why I sing the blues..}

{That's why I sing the blues..}



[Andreas 13]

Now, it's the blues, so don't snooze, check out how I kick it

A def beat that's dope wild and wicked

A mad brother, that is God gifted

So tell me why am I another statistic

Payin all my bills and still bein evicted

Slum lord brought a rate height and I ripped it

Broken lights, and no hot water

You got nerve in here, beggin for a quarter

Burn this bitch down, is what I oughta do

and that's comin from the workin man's point of view

The first of the month and all my bills are due

I pay the light bill and pay the phone bill do

because if I don't, my po' ass is through

My po' ass is through



{That's why I sing the blues..}

{That's why I sing the blues..}

{That's why I..}



[Andreas 13]

I got a job - workin and smirkin for Apartheid County

It takes two weeks to step collect my bounty

and damn, I can't believe the way they tax me

A third of my pay G? Exactly!

Yeah they think they got me, sweatin for a paycheck

Hearin my boss riff with empty threats

But I don't worry, and I don't fret

Just daydream about regrets

Would I do it all over again? No words

Cause workin everyday, and still bein broke..

.. is strictly to the curb!



{That's why I sing the blues..}

{That's why I sing the blues..}

{That's why I sing the blues..}



[Andreas 13]

Now my girl, I tell her that I love her

She says if you do, you must suffer - SUCKA

So she moves in with another - brother

Claimin to me, she needs two lovers

One for the sex, and one for the money

You know which one I was, but not to be funny

Let me tell you all about this sourpuss honey

Was she slick, and was she crummy

cause I believed her when she said she loved me

Oh boy, what a dummy

because behind the back, everyone ain't true

You see I live with someone, and scummy does too

She said, "It's good for me.. if it's good for you"



{That's why I sing the blues..}

{That's why I, I have to sing the blues..}

{Ahhh-hahhh, that's why I.. that's why I..}

{That's why I got to sing the blues..}

{ooooh-hooooooooo..}



{*continues in background w/ variations}

I sing the BLUES in church on Sunday

slavin on Monday, misused on Tuesday

abused on Wednesday, accuased on Thursday

fried alive on Friday, and died on Saturday

sho' nuff singin the blues

I sing the BLUES that a sucka thought we couldn't bring

I tell him sho' nuff the blues is my thing

I sing the backwater BLUES, rhythm and BLUES

gospel BLUES, St. Louis BLUES, North Carolina BLUES

Chicago BLUES, Mississippi god-DAMN BLUES

The Watts BLUES, Harlem BLUES, ?? BLUES

Gut-funky BLUES, funky chunky BLUES

I sing the up North cigarette cough BLUES

The down South strung out the side of my mouth BLUES

I sing the BLUES black

I sing the BLUES blacker

I sing the BLUES blackest..



{That's why I sing the blues..}

{That's why I..}

{That's why I sing the blues..}

Writer : COHEN/HAWKINS
Copyright : Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group