Lyrics Teachin' the Blues - John Lee Hooker

Teachin' the Blues

A whole lot of people asking me, where I originated my beat from
But I had it from way back, a long time ago
And I am just starting out in the music world, professional
But I was with this on
I just discovered, there’s a big thing going
This is the year, 1953, I’m just getting started
Let me show you something on um, about this chord here
Hold you hand right there, and, and work your thumb, kind of beat-like
Is no-, Ain’t not a lot of chords to it, jus-, just a big beat
Now I sound just like a whole band, but you dig it
And dig my feets, you can do it, if you try
Yes, yes, but a big soul, now you cookin' with gas
Yes, the pot’s on now!
Oh, you workin' now!
This old tune my step-father taught me
I was around thirteen years old
He said, «Son, get this beat, and you’ll have something here»
And believe me, boy, I dug it, and I got it
In 49 I got my start, and I clicked, I clicked
Tremendous big hit I had, boy I got it
Now here it is 1953, I’m writing this tune here
I’m teaching the blues to this cat
Yea, now you cookin', make that old fiddle talk, boy
It’s just a beat, your fancy chords don’t mean nothing
If you ain’t got that beat
Throw the fancy chords away, and just get this slow beat…