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Birth Of The Blues
Words by B. G. De Sylva and Lew Brown, Music by Ray Henderson - 1926
 Verse:
C7 -                  B7         Bb7     -                Ab7
G7             Ab7    G7             Ab7 C -     A7      Eb6      G7
C7 -                  B7 Bb7 -                Ab7
G7             Ab7 G7             Ab7 C -     A7      Ab7      G7
 Chorus:
C G7             G+ C              E7        F                D7
G7 - C -     A7      Ab7       G7
C G7             G+ C              E7 F                D7
G7 - C -
E7 Dm6 E               E7 Dm6           E7
A7 - Am7          D7 G7   Am7   Ab7      G7
C G7             G+ C               E7 F                 D7
G7 - C -             (G7 to chorus)
8-beat intro.  Play 4-beats for each cell, reading from left to right.
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Verse:
Oh! They say some darkies 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 to use,
That is how the blues really began.
 
Chorus:
They heard the breeze in the trees, Singing wierd 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 the hill, They took a new note,
Pushed it through a horn, 'Til it was worn into a blue note!
And then they nursed it, rehursed it, and gave out the news,
That the Southland gave birth to the blues!
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Performer Links:
(webpage)
 
Listen to Don Reno perform "Birth Of The Blues" on the 5-string banjo (mp3)
 
Listen to the WineLand Banjo Band perform "Birth Of The Blues" (mp3)
Vocal by John Green
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Arranged by Jim Bottorff
 
This Chord Chart may not appear correctly with some browsers.  It should be viewed with a full size window.  
The chord names should appear in single rows.   Let me know of any problems.
email: jbott@ix.netcom.com