A
I sat in on a poker game, last Friday night
A
I won a couple hands, people, I was doing all right
A D A
I bet my money on a straight, from the nine up to the King
A D
But when the dealer showed his hand he had the same damn thing
E D C# A E
It seems I always lose, you've got to suffer if you want to sing the blues
[Verse]
A
You know some times I play the horses, but it seems I never win
A
I went out to the races late last week again
D A
This time I won three hundred dollars, but as I left the track
A D
Some greasy man come up behind me, stuck a gun in my back
E D A E E7
It seems I always lose, you've got to suffer if you want to sing the blues
[Break]
A
D G A
D E7
D A E
[Verse]
A
I've got a sweet little girl, called run-around Sue
A
She's kind of rank looking, but she knows how to do
D
Well now old Sue she's got a boyfriend, they call him Gentleman Jim
A D
I said "Listen Susan sweetheart, choose me or him"
E N.C. D A E7
And she said, "You lose", you've got to suffer if you want to sing the blues
[Chorus]
F A
Well you can sing a happy song if you're glad (if you're glad)
A D
You can sing a protest song if you're mad (if you're mad)
B E
Ah, but if you want to sing the blues, then boy you'd better learn how to lose
[Verse]
A
It seems like I have had these same old blues now since old time began
So I went to talk my troubles to the hoodoo man
D
I told him all about my problem, and I asked him what was wrong
A D
He said you got to live the blues, if you want to sing your song
E D A E
Seems like I'll always lose, you've got to suffer if you want to sing the blues
[Chorus]
F A
Well you can sing a happy song if you're glad (if you're glad)
A D A
You can sing a protest song if you're mad (if you're mad)
B A B E
Ah, but if you want to sing the blues, then boy you'd better learn how to lose
E7 A
I went and bought myself a lottery ticket, just to change my luck
A
I thought I wouldn't mind the losing, cause it only cost a buck
D A D A D
I won an electric poster, and a baritone sax, but I had to pawn my cloth just to pay off the tax
E D A
It seems I always lose, you've got to suffer if you want to...
E D
I always lose, you've got to suffer if you want...
E D A
How come I always lose, you've got to suffer if you want to sing the blues
