Blues In The Night

Words & Music:

Johnny Mercer & Harold Arlen (1941)

Written for the film "Hot Nocturne", this song became so popular that

the movie was re-titled "Blues in the Night"

My mama done tol' me, when I was in kneepants,

My mama done tol' me, "Son,

A woman'll sweet talk, and give ya the big eye,

B7 E7 A

But when the sweet talkin's done,

E7 Am7 E7

A woman's a two-face, a worrisome thing who'll leave ya t' sing

A D9 A

The blues in the night."

CHORUS:

A7 E7 Am7 D7

Now the rain's a-fallin', hear the train a-callin',

"Whoo-ee." (My mama done tol' me,)

D9 Dm6 E7

Hear that lonesome whistle blowin' 'cross the trestle,

A E7

"Whoo-ee." (My mama done tol' me.) A whoo-ee-duh whoo-ee,

B7 E7 A D9 A

Ol' clickety clack's a-echoin' back the blues in the night.

D9 Dm6

The evening breeze'll start the trees to cryin'

E7 C7 B+ F#7-5 Am6 B7 E7 Dm6 E7

And the moon'll hide it's light when you get the blues in the night;

D9 Dm6 E7 C7 B+

Take my word, the mockingbird'll sing the saddest kind of song,

F#m7-5 Am6 B7 E7 Dm6 Gm6 E7

He knows things are wrong, and he's right.

From Natchez to Mobile, from Memphis to Saint Joe,

Wherever the four winds blow;

I've been in some big towns and heard me some big talk,

But there is one thing I know:

A woman's a two-face, a worrisome thing who'll leave ya t' sing

The blues in the night.

CHORUS:

OUTRO:

A A7 B7 E7

Oooo - oooo - oooo, oooo - oooo - oooo,

B7 E7sus4 A

My mama was right, there's blues in the night.