B.B. King – “Why I Sing The Blues” Live

He’s The King Of Blues — It’s No Wonder Why!

This track was written by B.B. King and Dave Clark and is part of the 1983 compilation album with the same title. It contains several greatest hits and the record showcases one hit after the other.

In his foreword to the Helen Oakley Dance biography of T-Bone Walker, B.B. King writes: ‘In “Why I Sing the Blues,“…

…And everybody wants to know why I sing the blues,
Well, I’ve been around a long time, I’ve really paid my dues.

Meaning there’s all kind of trouble in life.

In this particular live performance in Kinshasa, Zaire; it was as memorable to the audience as it was to B.B. King himself. Singing with such burning passion to an amazing crowd is something that no one can ever forget.

According to Charles Sawyer, “He definitely connected with them like the beloved king he is. If you’re a B.B. King fan, you are in for a rare treat with B.B, King Live in Africa ’74.

If this is your introduction to the King of the Blues, you’ll understand why he is so loved the world over.”

+Why I Sing The Blues lyrics below+

Everybody wants to know
Why I sing the blues
Yes, I say everybody wanna know
Why I sing the blues
Well, I’ve been around a long time
I really have paid my dues

When I first got the blues
They brought me over on a ship
Men were standing over me
And a lot more with a whip
And everybody wanna know
Why I sing the blues
Well, I’ve been around a long time
Mm, I’ve really paid my dues

I’ve laid in a ghetto flat
Cold and numb
I heard the rats tell the bedbugs
To give the roaches some
Everybody wanna know
Why I’m singing the blues
Yes, I’ve been around a long time
People, I’ve paid my dues

I stood in line
Down at the County Hall
I heard a man say, “We’re gonna build
Some new apartments for y’all”
And everybody wanna know
Yes, they wanna know
Why I’m singing the blues
Yes, I’ve been around a long, long time
Yes, I’ve really, really paid my dues

Now I’m gonna play Lucille.

My 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
And everybody wanna know
Everybody wanna know
Why I’m singing the blues
I say I’ve been around a long time
Yes, I’ve really paid some dues

Yeah, you know the company told me
Guess you’re born to lose
Everybody around me, people
It seems like everybody got the blues
But I had ’em a long time
I’ve really, really paid my dues
You know I ain’t ashamed of it, people
I just love to sing my blues

I walk through the cities, people
On my bare feet
I had a fill of catfish and chitterlings
Up in Downbill Street
You know I’m singing the blues
Yes, I really
I just have to sing my blues
I’ve been around a long time
People, I’ve really, really paid my dues

Now Father Time is catching up with me
Gone is my youth
I look in the mirror everyday
And let it tell me the truth
I’m singing the blues
Mm, I just have to sing the blues
I’ve been around a long time
Yes, yes, I’ve really paid some dues

Yeah, they told me everything
Would be better out in the country
Everything was fine
I caught me a bus uptown, baby
And every people, all the people
Got the same trouble as mine
I got the blues, huh huh
I say I’ve been around a long time
I’ve really paid some dues

One more time, fellows!

Blind man on the corner
Begging for a dime
The rollers come and caught him
And throw him in the jail for a crime
I got the blues
Mm, I’m singing my blues
I’ve been around a long time
Mm, I’ve really paid some dues

Can we do just one more?

Oh I thought I’d go down to the welfare
To get myself some grits and stuff
But a lady stand up and she said
“You haven’t been around long enough”
That’s why I got the blues
Mm, the blues
I say, I’ve been around a long time
I’ve really, really paid my dues

Fellows, tell them one more time.

Ha, ha, ha. That’s all right, fellows.
Yeah!