THE BIRTH OF THE BLUES
From the Broadway Musical "George White's Scandals Of 1926"
(B.G. DeSylva / Lew Brown / Ray Henderson)

Paul Whiteman & His Orch. (vocals: Jack Fulton) - 1926
Harry Richman - 1926
Revelers - 1926
Jack Teagarden & His Orch. - 1941
Benny Goodman & His Orch. - 1941
Peggy Lee - 1945
Frank Sinatra - 1952
Chet Atkins - 1954
Kid Ory - 1954
Meade Lux Lewis - 1954
Gordon MacRae - 1956
Johnny Hartman - 1956
King Curtis - 1959
Ray Charles - 1960
Sammy Davis Jr - 1966
Chet Atkins & Les Paul - 1977
Also recorded by: The Hi-Lo`s; Hank Snow; Gloria Lynne; King Curtis; 
Al Hirt; Leslie Uggams; Della Reese; Pearl Bailey; Dinah Washington; 
Gerry Mulligan; Jan Garber; Ray Anthony; Benny Carter; Louis Prima; 
Pete Fountain; Bing Crosby; Jerry Lewis; Oscar Peterson; Al Jolson; 
Whispering Jack Smith; Lionel Hampton; Randy Travis; McGuire Sisters. 


OH! THEY SAY SOME PEOPLE LONG AGO
WERE SEARCHING FOR A DIFF'RENT 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 KNOW JUST WHAT THEY HAD
AND THAT IS HOW THE BLUES REALLY BEGAN:

THEY HEARD THE BREEZE IN THE TREES
SINGING WEIRD MELODIES
AND THEY MADE THAT 
THE START OF THE BLUES.

AND FROM A JAIL CAME THE WAIL
OF A DOWN HEARTED FRAIL,
AND THEY PLAYED THAT 
AS PART OF THE BLUES.

FROM A WHIPPOORWILL OUT ON A HILL,
THEY TOOK A NEW NOTE,
PUSHED IT THROUGH A HORN
'TIL IT WAS BORN INTO A BLUE NOTE.

AND THEN THEY NURSED IT, REHEARSED IT,
AND GAVE OUT THE NEWS
THAT THE SOUTHLAND 
GAVE BIRTH TO THE BLUES!