Honky Tonk in Cleveland, Ohio
It's a jazz affair, drum crashes and coronet razzes.
The trombone pony neighs and the tuba jackass snorts.
The banjo tickles and titters too awful.
The chippies talk about the funnies in the papers.
The cartoonists weep in their beer.
Shop riveters talk with their feet
To the feet of floozies under the tables.
A quartet of white hopes mourn with interspersed snickers:
"I got the blues.
I got the blues.
I got the blues."
And . . . as we said earlier:
The cartoonists weep in their beer.
poem by Carl Sandburg
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Blues Of The Months
The blues of January,
The blues of February,
The blues of March,
The blues of April,
The blues of May,
The blues of June,
The blues of July,
The blues of August,
The blues of September,
The blues of October,
The blues of November,
The blues of December,
Meet me there if you can!
And like Glory-Land and Merry-land;
But my home will always accept in your sweet blues.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Satellite Blues
She makes the place a jumpin'
The way she moves around
She like a rump and rollin'
That's when she get it out
And when she start a rockin'
She bring me to the boil
She like to give it out some
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
A picture clear for watchin'
The dish is runnin' hot
The box is set for pumpin'
She gonna take the lot
The way she get the butt in
She's gettin' set to ball
I like to chew it up some
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
Can't get nothin' on the dial
The frigin' thing gone wild
All I get's the dumbed down news
New satellite blues
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
I got the satellite blues (new satellite blues)
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
This thing's nothing but a load of crap
I'm gonna send it right back
You can stick it where it hurts...
Mac!
I got the satellite blues
song performed by by AC/DC from Stiff Upper Lip
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Blues Come Around
Once I was happy as I could be but I let a gal make a fool of me
And ever since she let me down the blues come around when the sun comes down
Oh the blues come around oh the blues come around
Lard the blues come around every evenin' when the sun goes down
[ guitar ]
As the sun is in the sky those doggone blues never make me cry
But ever since she left this town the blues come around when the sun goes down
Oh the blues come around...
[ fiddle ]
I've built my castle very high and then she went and said goodbye
Ever since she poured 'em down the blues come around when the sun goes down
Oh the blues come around...
[ steel ]
Once she called me all her own but now she's gone and I'm alone
And every evenin' I'm sorrow bound
Cause the blues come around when the sun goes down
Oh the blues come around...
[ guitar ]
Oh the blues come around...
song performed by by Hank Williams
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Weep No More
Gordon jenkins / tom adair
Im just about fed up
Ive finally had my fill
Of sitting around and crying in my beer
Ive drunk the bitter cup
Ive downed the bitter pill
While waiting for the silver lining to appear
Im going to stack my blues up
On the very highest shelf
Im going to pack my blues up
And get wise to myself
(weep no more, my baby)
(weep no more, my baby)
Weep no more
Im going to weep no more
Im putting an end to this lonesome game
(its such a lonesome game this crying)
Cry no tears, Im going to cry no tears
Each time that I happen to hear his name
(I hear his name)
Im going out on the town
This hopeless torch I will drown
cause Im tired of running around
(running around)
With just a memory
Weep no more, Im going to weep no more
Till somebody weeps
(until somebody weeps) for me
song performed by by Billie Holiday
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Satellite Blues
(young - young)
She makes the place a jumpin
The way she moves around
She like a rump and rollin
Thats when she get it out
And when she start a rockin
She bring me to the boil
She like to give it out some
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
A picture clear for watchin
The dish is runnin hot
The box is set for pumpin
She gonna take the lot
The way she get the butt in
Shes gettin set to ball
I like to chew it up some
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
New satellite blues (new satellite blues), yeah yeah
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
Cant get nothin on the dial
The frigin thing gone wild
All I gets the dumbed down news
New satellite blues
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
I got the satellite blues (new satellite blues)
New satellite blues (new satellite blues)
This things nothing but a load of crap
Im gonna send it right back
You can stick it where it hurts...
Mac!
I got the satellite blues
2000, j. albert & son, pty.
song performed by by AC-DC
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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City Boy Blues
Fireflies in dogfights
Runnin hot in the heat
Street noise, another bribe
Things too hard to believe--so head out
My hearts in the country
My feets in the city with you
All my friends are eatin sushi
Talkin bad about you know who-who-who
My tongues talkin riddles
But I just cant seem to find a clue
So I take a swig of whiskey
And jump into the saddle with you-you-you
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
Cats in the alley
Rats in my snakeskin boots
All my neighbors think Im crazy
And my girl thinks Im losin my cool-cool-cool
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
Dont look to jesus to change your seasons
Its the american dream
Souls of gypsies, road of stone
Cant seem to find no peace--so head out
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
I got the blues, I got the blues, got the city boy blues
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
I got the blues, I got the blues,
I got the blues, I got the blues
I got the blues, I got the blues,
I got the blues, I got the blues
song performed by by Motley Crue
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Talkin Blues
Yeah! oh, yeah! now!
Cold ground was my bed last night (bed last night)
And rock was my pillow, too; (doo-oo-oo-oo-oo!)
Cold ground was my bed last night (bed last night)
And rock was my pillow, too. yeah!
Im saying: talkin blues (talkin blues),
Talkin blues (talkin blues);
They say your feet is just too big for your shoes. (shoe-oo-oo-oo-oo)
Talkin blues (talkin blues), talkin blues (talkin blues):
Your feet is just too big for your shoes. (shoe-oo-oo-oo-oo)
Yeah, Ive been down on the rock for so long, (so long)
I seem to wear a permanent screw; (screw-oo-oo-oo-oo)
Ive been down on the rock for so long, (so long)
I seem to wear a permanent screw. (screw-oo-oo-oo-oo)
But-a I - Im gonna stare in the sun,
Let the rays shine in my eyes.
I - Im a gonna take a just-a one step more
cause I feel like bombin a church -
Now - now that you know that the preacher is lyin.
So whos gonna stay at home
When - when the freedom fighters are fighting?
Talkin blues (talkin blues), talkin blues (talkin blues):
They say your feet is just too big for your shoes, woe-oh-oh-oh!
Talkin blues (talkin blues), keep on talkin blues (talkin blues);
They say - you hear what they say -
Didnt you hear?
Cold ground was my bed (bed last night),
Rockstone - rockstone - rockstone was my pillow;
Cold ground was my bed last night (bed last night),
And rock was my pillow, too.
Sayin: (talkin blues, talkin blues):
I seem to wear a permanent screw - permanent screw.
Talkin blues (talkin blues), talkin blues (talkin blues):
Feet is just too big for your shoes. (shoe-oo-oo-oo-oo) /fadeout/
song performed by by Bob Marley
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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0011 Those white and future blues - to Chet
Under the ring of linked brown arms,
bare feet, brown feet with whiter soles
drum on the dusty, hard brown earth, stomp the rhythm
as if to wake the gods of earth
to draw the rain down to the roots,
caressing seeds against the growing time,
hearing the tears at the heart of things;
hearing the shuffle-clank
of leg irons listening for some rhythm that consoles
with promise; hearing the blues sung softly, like a prayer,
taken up across the cotton field,
sadness meeting hope in longing patience
and a century ago
the white lady who loved Africa said,
I am weary with the future
*
white boy, you’re so young –
how could you hear the blues so well?
are they just around the corner
of every town that’s built, as dusk descends?
Do they lurk wherever lips meet plangent trumpet,
in the reeds of mourning clarinet,
the nostalgia of a dreaming saxophone?
Wherever future whispers to the past
and hears the sad reply?
white boy, white boy without a past,
you hear the blues so well,
I think you hear
those future blues,
those old white future blues,
those lonesome future blues.
poem by Michael Shepherd
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Ive Got The Blues More Than You Do Blues
Grew up in the mississippi delta
In a shotgun shack
Washboard for my pillow
til the tax man took that back
Moved out on my own
I was just eight years old ... top that
You think you got the blues
Look at my life
Ive got the blues more than you do ... blues
When I was an itty-bitty baby
I was my mamas only surviving son
She used my head as a washrag
I thought it was fun
Walked to school upway both ways
With no legs ... top that
You think you got the blues
Look at my life
Ive got the blues more than you do ... blues
Got so drunk the other night I couldnt find my way home
Had to have a blind man show me
When I finally did get there,
My own dog had disowned me
A womam in a bar just looks at me and coughed and said
I dont even know you, but I wish youd die off ... top that
You think you got the blues
Look at my life
Ive got the blues more than you do ... blues
song performed by by Jewel
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I have heartaches, I have blues. No matter what you got, the blues is there. 'Cause that's all I know - the blues. And I can sing the blues so deep until you can have this room full of money and I can give you the blues.
quote by John Lee Hooker
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Honky Tonk Blues
[e]well I left my home down on the rural route
I told my paw im going steppin out and get the
[a7] honky tonk blues, hey the honky tonk [e] blues
Hey [b7] lord I got em, I got the ho-on-ky tonk [e] blues
ell I went to a dance and I wore out my shoes
Woke up this mornin wishin I could lose
Them jumpin [a7] honky tonk blues, hey the honky tonk [e]blues
Oh [b7] lord I got em, I go the ho-on-ky tonk [e] blues
Solo [e] [a] [e] [b7]
[e]ell I stopped into every place in town
This city life has really got me down
I got [a7] the honky tonk blues, hey the honky tonk [e]blues
ell [b7] lord I got em, I got the ho-on-ky tonk [e] blues
[e] im gonna tuck my worries underneath my arm
And scat right back to my pappys farm
And leave these [a7] honky tonk blues, hey the honky tonk [e] blues
[b7] oh lord I got em, I go the ho-on-ky tonk [e] blues
song performed by by Hank Williams
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Pms Blues
Eve you wicked woman, you done put your curse on me
Why didnt you just leave that apple hangin in the tree
You make us hate our husbands, our lovers and our boss
Why I cant even count the good friends Ive already lost
Cause of pms blues, pms blues
I dont even like myself, but its something I cant help
I got those God almighty, slap somebody pms blues
Most times Im easy going, some say Im good as gold
But when Im pms I tell ya, I turn mean and cold
Those not afflicted with it are affected just the same
You poor old men didnt have to grin and say I feel your pain
Pms blues, pms blues
You know you must forgive us for we care not what we do
I got those cant stop crying, dishes flying pms blues
But you know we cant help it
We dont even know the cause
But as soon as this parts over, then comes the menopause
Oh, lord, oh, lord
Were going to always be a heap of fun
Like the devil taking over my body, suffering, suffering, suffering
Everybodys suffering, huh?
But a woman had to write this song, a man would be scared to
Lest he be called a chauvenist or just fall victim to
Those pms blues
You know wed kill for less than that
Pms blues
You dont want to cross my path
Cause a pitbull aint no match
For these teeth a clenchin, fluid retention
Head a swellin, cant stop yellin
Got no patience, Im so hateful
Pms blues, premenstrual syndrome
Got those moods a swingin, tears a slingin
Nothin fits me when it hits me
Rantin, ravin, misbehavin
Pms blues
Its the only time in my life I ever think about wishing Id been a man
But you know that only means one thing
If Id have been a man, Id be somewhere right this very minute
With some old cranky, naggin, raggin hateful woman
With those old pms blues
Pms blues
I dont want to talk about it, we both could do without it
Got those treat your kids bad, dont you talk back
Gone ballistic, unrealistic
Awful lowdown, bitch to be around
Pms blues
song performed by by Dolly Parton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Biography of a Poet Click here to listen to Biography of a Poet
Vince was twice my age
And Frank Sinatra was his rage
Sometimes the stars came there to sing
Marciano liked this town from the boxing ring
Della Reese he played for you
Dinah Washington sang the blues
Connie Francis and almost Darin
Frank Fontaine and Cavalaro
Mom said, "Margie, do you always have to be hanging around
the Italian guys?"
Grandma Mowery thought George was nice
But Mom, "It's no beer joint I did protest,
The stars go there, Mom, that means it's the best."
poem by Marjorie Henderson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Get Rhythm
(johnny cash)
Get rhythm when you get the blues
Hey, get rhythm when you get the blues
Get a rock n roll feelin in your bones
Get taps on your toes and just get gone
Get rhythm when you get the blues
Little shoeshine boy never gets low down
But hes got the dirtiest job in town
Bendin low at the peoples feet
On the windy corner of the dirty street
Well, I asked him while he shined my shoes
Howd he keep from gettin the blues
He grinned as he shook his little head
Popped a shoeshine rag and then he said
Get rhythm when you get the blues
Hey, get rhythm when you get the blues
It only costs a dime, just a nickel a shoe
Does a million dollars worth of good for you
Get rhythm when you get the blues
Well, I started to listen to the shoeshine boy
And I thought I was gonna jump for joy
Slapped on the shoe polish left and right
He took a shoeshine rag and he held it tight
He stopped once to wipe the sweat away
I said youre a mighty little boy to be a-workin that way
He said I like it, with a big wide grin
And he kept on poppin and he said again
Hey, get rhythm when you get the blues
Hey, get rhythm when you get the blues
Yes a jumpy rhythm makes you feel so fine
It shakes all the trouble from your worried mind
Get rhythm when you get the blues
Get rhythm when you get the blues
Get rhythm when you get the blues
Get a rock n roll feelin in your bones
Get taps on your toes and get gone
Get rhythm when you get the blues
song performed by by Ry Cooder
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Blues
Hes gonna tell you bout his dear old mother
Burned up in a factory in springfield, mass.
Hes gonna tell you bout his baby brother
Hustlin down the city streets
And selling his ass for a dollar bag
Hes gonna tell you bout his uncle neddy
Locked up in a prison out in oregon
Hes gonna tell you bout his best friend eddie
Killed in a bar fight with a pair of marines
And a sailor
Oh
Hes got the blues, this boy
Hes got the blues
You can hear it in his music
Hes got the blues, this boy
Hes got the blues
You can hear it, you can hear it
When I was nine years old
My daddy ran away
With a woman he met on a train, oh
His little boy
Ran to the room
Where his piano
Lay in wait for him
He played and he played
He played and he played
Hes got the blues, this boy
Hes got the blues
You can hear it, you can hear it
Hes got the blues, this boy
Hes got the blues
A year ago, I met a girl
I thought wed hit a massive groove
But she dumped me
And all wed hit were the blues
Hes got the blues, this boy
Hes got the blues
You can hear it in his music
Hes got the blues, this boy
Hes really got the blues
song performed by by Randy Newman
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Blues Leave Me Alone
(by james lane)
Blues, blues trying to drive me away from home.
Blues, blues trying to drive me away from home.
Had the blues so bad, blues followed me all day long.
Blues, blues wont let me take my rest.
Blues, blues wont let me take my rest.
My mind is rambling like a wild geese out in the west.
Well, youre my all day steady, baby youre my midnight dream.
Yes, youre my all day steady, baby youre my midnight dream.
I love that woman better than anyone Ive ever seen.
Blues, blues follow me all day long.
Blues, blues follow me all day long.
Blues, blues wont you please leave me alone.
song performed by by Eric Clapton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Weary Blues
Droning a drowsy syncopated tune,
Rocking back and forth to a mellow croon,
I heard a Negro play.
Down on Lenox Avenue the other night
By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light
He did a lazy sway ....
He did a lazy sway ....
To the tune o' those Weary Blues.
With his ebony hands on each ivory key
He made that poor piano moan with melody.
O Blues!
Swaying to and fro on his rickety stool
He played that sad raggy tune like a musical fool.
Sweet Blues!
Coming from a black man's soul.
O Blues!
In a deep song voice with a melancholy tone
I heard that Negro sing, that old piano moan--
"Ain't got nobody in all this world,
Ain't got nobody but ma self.
I's gwine to quit ma frownin'
And put ma troubles on the shelf."
Thump, thump, thump, went his foot on the floor.
He played a few chords then he sang some more--
"I got the Weary Blues
And I can't be satisfied.
Got the Weary Blues
And can't be satisfied--
I ain't happy no mo'
And I wish that I had died."
And far into the night he crooned that tune.
The stars went out and so did the moon.
The singer stopped playing and went to bed
While the Weary Blues echoed through his head.
He slept like a rock or a man that's dead.
poem by Langston Hughes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Out Of The Blues
Words out of the blues,
Works out of the blues,
Minds out of the blues;
My dream girl came out of the blues and,
You could see me now like a new born baby.
The way you want me is what i am now,
For i have been too long in the rain.
Out of the blues came my lover,
Out of the blues came my girl;
You can now see me with her always.
Out of the blues with the kiss of love around us,
I have been too long in the rain;
My love is as white as snow.
Roses are red and violets are blue but,
Your greenlight is an eye catcher;
When the going gets tough,
The tough must get going.
Like the true love given to Einstein,
That the news flash to you about this love;
Like the true love given to Robert Redford,
Out of the blues came my lover;
Rome was really not built in a day.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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I Got The Same Old Blues
(j.j. cale)
Have you heard that rumor thats goin around
My babys got a man, lord way across town
Its the same old story
Tell me where will it end
Yes I heard the news its the same old blues again
Well I wrote you a letter, must have read it wrong
Stood at the doorway and baby you was gone
Took a lot of courage
To let the telephone ring
I got the same old blues, same old blues again
Well you gave me the business, though I didnt mind
cause I got a lot of patience, lord got a lot of time
Its the same old story
Tell me where will it end
I got the same old blues, same old blues again
Here come my blues
Gonna find me a mountain and gonna hide out
Aint talkin to you babe, lord I aint comin back
Well I heard that rumor, tell where will it end
I got the same old blues, same old blues again
Have you heard that rumor thats goin around
My babys got a man, lord way across town
Its the same old story
Tell me where will this end
Yes I heard the news its the same old blues again
I got the same old blues, same old blues again
I got the blues... same old blues
song performed by by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Honky Tonk Side Of Town
Dont you cry __ dont you moan
Hang your head down all night long
That ole feeling sure aint nothing new
Its in your walk, its in your talk
Theres only one way to shake it off,
You got to get to it before it gets to you
So put a quarter in that jukebox, let it drop
Put another one in, play it again, dont let it stop
Theres only one thing Ive found
Thatll turn it all around
The blues cant do no business
On a honky tonk side of town
You gotta slip, you gotta slide
Therere gonna try to nail your hide
Yeah, theyll put a hurting on you, given half a chance
So get mean and get slick
You gotta pull out every trick
Cause everybody knows the blues dont like to dance
To chorus:
Well, you can walk that walk
And talk that talk, and boogie till you shake it off
No the blues cant do no business
The blues cant do no business
The blues cant do no business
On the honky tonk side of town
song performed by by Randy Travis
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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