Why I Sing the Blues

Everybody wants to know, they ask me why I sing the blues
 Everybody wants to know now, why I keep crying the blues
 Well, I've been around little while
 And I've paid some dues, yes, I have
 People laying in ghetto flats, cold and numb
 Looking at roaches, telling bedbugs to move over and give 'em some
 Oh, it's hot in here, that's one reason I'm singing the blues, yeah
 Been around a long time
 God knows I've paid a few dues, yes, I have
 Stood in line at the County Hall
 Heard a man say, "We're gonna build some high rises for y'all
 "Up in renewal, work on a removal, talk to me, yeah"
 Don't feel bad about it, just trying to be free
 I don't want my kids growing up to be no fools
 You keep rapping to me y'all ain't got no room in school, yeah
 And you want to know why I'm singing the blues, yeah
 Been around a little while
 And I've seen some people paying dues, yes, I have
 Some of my friends told me I was born to lose
 But when I looked around they were singing the same old kind of blues, now
 And you want to know why I'm singing 'em this evening, yeah
 Don't be saying those, everybody pays some dues sometimes
 Yeah, sing the blues now