Livin’ the Blues

Lyrics

[Coré Cotton + (Sounds of Blackness)] We are the blues (Everybody wanna sing my blues Nobody wanna live my blues) Oh, we are the blues, the blues people (Livin' the blues) For a long, long time (A long, long time) We've been livin' the blues (We've been the blues) For a long, long time We've been paying dues (paying dues) We've up and we've been down (we've been down) Almost level to the ground For a long, long time, we've been living the blues (We've been living the blues, living the blues) Since the days of Southern plantations, livin' the blues (We've been livin' the blues) 400 years of humiliation and paying dues (paying dues) Stripped of pride and humanity All in the name of Christianity For a long time, we've been living the blues (a long, long time) (Livin' the blues) Forced to watch our sons and daughters Beaten, raped, and even slaughtered Slavery left us in ruins Constitutions says we're only three-fifths human Such a proud and royal people Living separate and unequal Jim Crow was the rule Instead of 40 acres and a mule (This is the blues, livin' the blues) (Everybody wanna sing my blues Nobody wanna live my blues) Moved up north, thought we'd be free from livin' the blues (We've been livin' the blues) But we only found agony in paying dues (paying dues) Ghettos, projects, and tenement slums No better off than where we come from For a long, long time, we've been livin' the blues (We've been livin' the blues, livin' the blues) We've come through the storms and rain Heartache and pain Living from day to day Trying hard to find our way We keep holding on Living the blues has made us strong No matter what, we know we can take it No doubt about it, we gonna make it (Blues, livin' the blues) (Everybody wanna sing my blues Nobody wanna live my blues Livin' the blues has made us stronger) Made us strong (We gotta keep holding on) Keep holding on (No matter what, we know we can take it) We can take it (No doubt about it, we're gonna make it) (Everybody wanna sing my blues) Nobody (Nobody wanna live my blues) Nobody (Livin' the blues has made us strong) Through the storm (We gotta keep holding on) Keep holding on (No matter what, we know we can make it) I know (No doubt about it, we're gonna make it) Everybody (Everybody wanna sing my blues) They wanna sing our blues (Nobody wanna live my blues) Nobody (Livin' the blues has made us strong) Oh (We gotta keep holding on) Holding on (No matter what, we know we can take it) We take it (No doubt about it, we're gonna make it)