I wasn't born in Chigaco,
but I can play the blues.
I wasn't part of no union,
but I paid my dues.
I never got into a train wreck,
but I went off the rails.
I never went under the hammer,
'cause I was hard as nails.
I never swam in dirty water,
but my name was mud.
I never knew you was a virus,
but you got into my blood.
I never was a politician,
but I learned to lie.
I never led a delegation,
I was too smart to try.
I wasn't born in Chigaco,
but I can play the blues.
I wasn't part of no union,
but I paid my dues.
I never was no kind of prisoner,
but I've been to jail.
And I was never in a train wreck,
but I went off the rails, big time.
I never swam in dirty water,
but my name was mud.
I never knew you was a virus,
you got into my blood, blood.
I wasn't born in Chigaco,
but I can play the blues, ah.