Yes, I say everybody wanna know
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
Well, I've been around a long time
Mm, I've really paid my dues
I've laid in a ghetto flat
I heard the rats tell the bedbugs
Why I'm singing the blues
Yes, I've been around a long time
People, I've paid my dues
I heard a man say, "We're gonna build
Some new apartments for y'all"
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
Gonna grow up to be a fool
'Cause they ain't got no more room
No more room for him in school
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
I had a fill of catfish and chitterlings
You know I'm singing the blues
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
I look in the mirror everyday
And let it tell me the truth
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
I caught me a bus uptown, baby
And every people, all the people
Got the same trouble as mine
I say I've been around a long time
I've really paid some dues
The rollers come and caught him
And throw him in the jail for a crime
I've been around a long time
Mm, I've really paid some dues
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
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