—Leroy Carr
Mama made Papa be quiet as a mouse
So Papa climbed up on top of the house
Made a lot of whoopee, made a lot of noise
Stood up and cheered with the rest of the boys.
Chorus:
Baby's in the cradle, brother's gone to town
Sister's in the parlor, trying on a gown
Mama's in the kitchen messing all around
Papa's on the house top, won't come down.
The blues they come, the blues they come
Nobody knows where the blues come from
The blues they go, the blues they go
And everybody's happy when the old blues go.
Chorus
Papa saw a chicken out in the yard
Picked up a rock and hit him hard
Hit him hard, killed him dead
Now the chicken's in the gravy and the gravy's on the bread.
Chorus
Hush-a-little baby, don't you cry
Blues gonna leave you by and by
Papa came in, it sure was cold
Put the baby in the cradle and the blues outdoor.
Chorus
Verse & Chorus:
| I | I | I | I – I7 |
| IV | IV | V | V – I |
| I | I | I | I – I7 |
| IV | IV | V | V – I |