Soul #5. When the Blues Let Go

Electric blues-soul shuffle, 92 BPM, slide guitar, Hammond B3, swinging drums, raspy female lead

[Intro]
Got a suitcase full of rainy days and one good pair of shoes,
I ain't letting yesterday tell me how to sing the blues.

[Verse 1]
Woke up with the curtains down, that old familiar gray,
Put the coffee on and heard the neighbors laugh across the way.
I thought of all the promises that never made it through,
The empty side of every room where I once waited for you.
Then the phone rang with a friend who knew my old mistakes,
Said there's music by the river and a band that really shakes.
I told her I was tired, she said, 'So come tired, friend,'
I laughed for the first time since I can't remember when.

[Pre-Chorus]
I can't make a memory turn into someone new,
I can't talk a broken promise into coming true.
But the drummer hit a backbeat like a knock upon my door,
And my feet remembered something they were made for.

[Chorus]
When the blues let go, I'm gonna let them,
Let that old black cloud get up and go.
Won't pretend I didn't love you,
Won't deny what I still know.
But there's good life in the morning,
There's a river down the road.
When the blues let go a little,
I'm gonna let them go.

[Instrumental — 8 bars]

[Verse 2]
At the little corner club the guitar took a bend,
A man I didn't know said, 'Glad you made it, friend.'
I sang along to songs I had forgotten I could sing,
Felt the weight inside my ribcage turning into something spring.
I might cry again on Tuesday, might get quiet in the rain,
But now I know the road back doesn't run without some pain.
I shook the hand of sorrow and I told it, 'Have a seat,'
It doesn't get to drive me when the band's got such a beat.

[Bridge]
Let the guitar testify, let the organ say amen,
A wound can still be healing while the music starts again.
I don't have to rush forgiveness or pretend the hurt was small,
I just have to hear my own voice underneath it all.

[Final Chorus]
When the blues let go, I'm gonna let them,
Let that old black cloud get up and go.
Won't pretend I didn't love you,
Won't deny what I still know.
But there's good life in the morning,
There's a river down the road.
When the blues let go a little,
I'm gonna let them go.

[Outro]
The band played one more shuffle as I pulled on my coat,
The blues rode home beside me, but they didn't own the road.

2250/7500

[Intro] Got a suitcase full of rainy days and one good pair of shoes, I ain't letting yesterday tell me how to sing the blues. [Verse 1] Woke up with the curtains down, that old familiar gray, Put the coffee on and heard the neighbors laugh across the way. I thought of all the promises that never made it through, The empty side of every room where I once waited for you. Then the phone rang with a friend who knew my old mistakes, Said there's music by the river and a band that really shakes. I told her I was tired, she said, 'So come tired, friend,' I laughed for the first time since I can't remember when. [Pre-Chorus] I can't make a memory turn into someone new, I can't talk a broken promise into coming true. But the drummer hit a backbeat like a knock upon my door, And my feet remembered something they were made for. [Chorus] When the blues let go, I'm gonna let them, Let that old black cloud get up and go. Won't pretend I didn't love you, Won't deny what I still know. But there's good life in the morning, There's a river down the road. When the blues let go a little, I'm gonna let them go. [Instrumental — 8 bars] [Verse 2] At the little corner club the guitar took a bend, A man I didn't know said, 'Glad you made it, friend.' I sang along to songs I had forgotten I could sing, Felt the weight inside my ribcage turning into something spring. I might cry again on Tuesday, might get quiet in the rain, But now I know the road back doesn't run without some pain. I shook the hand of sorrow and I told it, 'Have a seat,' It doesn't get to drive me when the band's got such a beat. [Bridge] Let the guitar testify, let the organ say amen, A wound can still be healing while the music starts again. I don't have to rush forgiveness or pretend the hurt was small, I just have to hear my own voice underneath it all. [Final Chorus] When the blues let go, I'm gonna let them, Let that old black cloud get up and go. Won't pretend I didn't love you, Won't deny what I still know. But there's good life in the morning, There's a river down the road. When the blues let go a little, I'm gonna let them go. [Outro] The band played one more shuffle as I pulled on my coat, The blues rode home beside me, but they didn't own the road.

0/500