Why I Sing The Blues chords by B.B. King

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Intro 1

Verse 1
C 
Everybody  (C major) wants to know
Why I sing the blues
F 
Yes, I say  (F major) everybody wanna know
C 
Why I  (C major) sing the blues
G 
Well, I've been a (G major) round a long time
F 
C 
G 
 (F major) I really have paid  (C major) my dues  (G major) 

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Verse 2

When I first got the blues

They brought me over on a ship

Men were standing over me

And a lot more with the whip

And everybody wanna know

Why I sing the blues

Well, I've been around a long time

I really have paid my dues

Verse 3
C 
I've  (C major) laid in a ghetto flat
Cold and numb
I heard the rats tell the bedbugs
To give the roaches some
F 
 (F major) Everybody wanna know
C 
Why I'm  (C major) singing the blues
G 
Yes, I've been a (G major) round a long time
F 
C 
G 
 (F major) People, I've paid  (C major) my dues  (G major) 

Verse 4
C 
I  (C major) stood in line
Down at the County Hall
I heard a man say, "We're gonna build
Some new apartments for y'all"
F 
And  (F major) everybody wanna know
Yes, they wanna know
C 
Why I'm  (C major) singing the blues
G 
Yes, I've been a (G major) round a long, long time
F 
C 
G 
 (F major) Yes, I've really, really paid  (C major) my dues  (G major) 

Solo 1

Verse 5
C 
My  (C major) kid's gonna grow up
Gonna grow up to be a fool
'Cause they ain't got no more room
No more room for him in school
F 
And  (F major) everybody wanna know
Everybody wanna know
C 
Why I'm  (C major) singing the blues
G 
I say I've been a (G major) round a long time
F 
C 
G 
 (F major) Yes, I've really paid  (C major) some dues  (G major) 

Verse 6
C 
Yeah, you know the  (C major) company told me
Guess you're born to lose
Everybody around me, people
F 
It seems like everybody got the blues  (F major) 
But I had 'em a long time
C 
I've  (C major) really, really paid my dues
G 
You know I ain't a (G major) shamed of it, people
F 
C 
G 
 (F major) I just love to  (C major) sing my blues  (G major) 

Solo 2

Verse 7
C 
I  (C major) walk through the cities, people
On my bare feet
I had a fill of catfish and chitterlings
Up and down Beal Street
F 
 (F major) You know I'm singing the blues
Yes, I really
C 
I  (C major) just have to sing my blues
G 
I've been a (G major) round a long time
F 
C 
G 
 (F major) People, I've really, really paid  (C major) my dues  (G major) 

Verse 8
C 
Now Father  (C major) time is catching up with me
Gone is my youth
I look in the mirror everyday
F 
And let it tell me the truth  (F major) 
I'm singing the blues
C 
Mm,  (C major) I just have to sing the blues
G 
I've been a (G major) round a long time
F 
C 
G 
 (F major) Yes, yes, I've really paid  (C major) some dues  (G major) 

Solo 3

Verse 9
C 
Yeah, they  (C major) told me everything
Would be better out in the country
Everything was fine
I caught me a bus uptown, baby
F 
And  (F major) every people, all the people
Got the same trouble as mine
C 
I got the  (C major) blues, huh huh
G 
I say I've been a (G major) round a long time
F 
C 
G 
 (F major) I've really paid  (C major) some dues  (G major) 

Verse 10
One more time, fellows!
C 
 (C major) Blind man on the corner
Begging for a dime
The rollers come and caught him
F 
And throw him in the jail for a crime  (F major) 
I got the blues
C 
Mm,  (C major) I'm singing my blues
G 
I've been a (G major) round a long time
F 
C 
G 
 (F major) Mm, I've really paid  (C major) some dues  (G major) 

Verse 11
C 
Oh I  (C major) thought I'd go down to the welfare
To get myself some grits and stuff
But a lady stand up and she said
F 
"You haven't been around long e (F major) nough"
That's why I got the blues
C 
Mm,  (C major) the blues
G 
I say, I've been a (G major) round a long time
F 
C 
G 
 (F major) I've really, really paid  (C major) my dues  (G major) 