The day I was born the moon crossed the sun mama cried sweet Jesus what have I done lord have mercy on my unfortunate son before I drew my second breath mama knew
She’d just given birth to the king of the blues
And on that day somewhere somebody else died alone in a dark room and nobody cried
‘Cause there can only be one and I can’t be denied outriders told everybody the news
The king is dead long live the king of the blues
I’m the king of the blues thirteenth of the line the first of my name and the last of my kind
One foot in the grave and one hand on the handle of time descended directly from St. John the conqueroo
I’m the high priest of heartache and the king of the blues
I’m a lover a fighter a prophet a fool
The keeper of confidences the lord of misrule
A consummate jackofalltrades of the dickensian school but they ain’t never made no love I couldn’t lose
I’m the last word in lonesome and the king of the blues