Layton & Johnstone — The Birth of the Blues

[Part 1: Spoken Intro / Hallelujah] [Intro: Norman Long, Turner Layton, Clarence Johnstone] Oh my heck, it's Layton and Johnstone turned up For the love of Mike, don't tell me you've come to the chord We most certainly have, this is how it's been arranged for us Well, I knew nothing about it Still, carry on boys, as quick as you can Well, Turner, what shall we record? Oh, I don't know, Tandy What about Hallelujah? Let's go! [Verse 1] Sing, "Hallelujah, Hallelujah" And you shoo the blues away When cares pursue ya, "Hallelujah" Gets you through that darkest day [Verse 2] Satan lies a-waitin' And creating skies of gray Sing, "Hallelujah, Hallelujah" Gets you through the darkest day [Outro] Hallelujah, Hallеlujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah! [Part 2: The Birth of the Blues] [Verse] Oh, they say that doctors long ago Wеre searching for a different 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 weird melodies And they made that the start of the blues And from a jail came the wail of a downhearted 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, rehearsed it, and gave out the news That the Southland gave birth to the blues! [Chorus] They heard the breeze in the trees singing weird melodies And they made that the start of the blues And from a jail came the wail of a downhearted 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, rehearsed it, and gave out the news That the Southland gave birth to the blues!