The Blues Is a Game
Beyond the Blues: Unmasking Life's Melody
Lyrics
Does it make you feel good as you get on the stage?
As you step onto the stage, do you find satisfaction?
Say you’re singing the blues so you’d better behave
Claiming to sing the blues, yet urging proper behavior.
But it isn’t your truth, you’ve no right to the name
Questioning the authenticity of the claimed blues experience.
It’s all whiskey and cigarettes in your eyes
Describing a seemingly superficial perspective with whiskey and cigarettes in one's eyes.
Honey, I’ve been marching most all of my life
Expressing a history of struggle and perseverance.
And you sit and make jokes about men in white cloaks
Making light of serious issues, like racism, through jokes.
Then whip up a twelve bar refrain
Creating a bluesy musical interlude despite the serious themes.
When you woke up this morning
Questioning the thoughts upon waking up in the morning.
What went through your mind?
Reflecting on the mindset at the start of the day.
When you woke up this morning
Raising the possibility of fearing for one's life in the morning.
Did you fear for your life?
Asking for a straightforward explanation for dismissing one's existence.
Just candidly explain my existence away
Asserting that the blues is treated as a trivial game.
‘Cause the blues is a game
(Empty line)
So you pack up your notebook
Highlighting the persistence and determination to reach this point.
And you tune your guitar
Emphasizing readiness to perform.
And you never once worried
Shouting cliches, acknowledging the gamified nature of the blues.
If you’d make it this far
Reiterating that the blues is approached as a game.
But you’re ready to play
(Empty line)
So you shout your cliches
Asserting that the person lacks genuine blues experience.
‘Cause the blues is a game
Repeating the idea that the blues is played as a game.
You ain’t got the blues you’re just a sad, sad man
Stating that the individual is merely a sad person, not truly experiencing the blues.
You ain’t got the blues you’re just a sad, sad man
Reiterating that the person lacks genuine blues experience.
But you’re ready to play so you spout your cliches
Despite the lack of true blues, the individual is ready to play and recite cliches.
‘Cause the blues is a game
Emphasizing the performative and game-like nature of the blues.
I’m a good, good woman
Declaring oneself as a virtuous woman with a good heart.
With a good, good heart
Repeating the assertion of being a good woman.
I’m a good, good woman
Expressing difficulty caused by external factors.
But you make it so hard
Despite goodness, external factors make life challenging.
‘Cause I’ve got something to say
Asserting the need to express oneself, though hindered.
And it burns like a flame
Describing the intensity of what needs to be expressed.
But the blues is a game
Acknowledging the hindrance caused by the game-like nature of the blues.
When you woke up this morning
Reflecting on waking up with a favorable situation.
With the world on your side
Asking if current events were considered before creating.
Tell me did you read the news boy
Questioning awareness of the world's happenings before writing.
Before you sat down to write
Searching for genuine emotional content rather than superficial pain.
Digging deep for that pain
Pointing out a lack of depth in seeking emotional content for the blues.
But it don’t hit the same
Recognizing that the sought pain lacks authenticity.
‘Cause the blues is a game
Reiterating the idea that the blues is treated as a trivial game.
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