Play the blues for me. Play the blues for me. No other music 'Ll ease my misery. Sing a soothin' song. Said a soothing song, Cause the man I love's done Done me wrong. Can't you understand, O, understand A good woman's cryin' For a no-good man? Black gal like me, Black gal like me 'S got to hear a blues For her misery.
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Authorship
- by (James Mercer) Langston Hughes (1902 - 1967), "Misery", appears in Fine Clothes to the Jew, first published 1927 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)
- by John Alden Carpenter (1876 - 1951), "That soothin' song", published 1927 [ medium voice and piano ], from Four Negro Songs, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Wilhelm Grosz (1894 - 1939), "Misery", from Africa Songs [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anna Siemsen ; composed by Alexander Zemlinsky.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-08-27
Line count: 16
Word count: 64
Spielt die Blues für mich, Spielt die Blues für mich, Spielt sie leis und laßt Leise weinen mich. Spielt Vergessenheit, O Vergessenheit, Denn der Liebste Tut mir Leid. Das verstehst du nicht, Nein, verstehst du nicht, Daß ich liebe den, Der mein Glück zerbricht. Schwarz und arm bin ich, Schwarz und traurig ich, Spielt die Blues und laßt Leise weinen mich.
Authorship
Based on- a text in English by (James Mercer) Langston Hughes (1902 - 1967), "Misery", appears in Fine Clothes to the Jew, first published 1927
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)
- by Alexander Zemlinsky (1871 - 1942), "Elend", op. 27 (Twelve songs: for soprano and piano) no. 7 (1937/8), published c1978 [soprano and piano], Hillsdale, N.Y. : Mobart Music Publications, [ sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-04
Line count: 16
Word count: 61