Lyrics:

I sat in on a poker game, last Friday night
I won a couple hands, people, I was doing all right
I bet my money on a straight, from the nine up to the King
But when the dealer showed his hand he had the same damn thing
It seems I always lose, you've got to suffer if you want to sing the blues.

You know some times I play the horses, but it seems I never win
I went out to the races late last week again
This time I won three hundred dollars, but as I left the track
Some greasy man come up behind me, stuck a gun in my back
It seems I always lose, you've got to suffer if you want to sing the blues.

I've got a sweet little girl, called run-around Sue
She's kind of rank looking, but she knows how to do
Well now old Sue she's got a boyfriend, they call him Gentleman Jim
I said 'Listen Susan sweetheart, choose me or him'
And she said, 'You lose', you've got to suffer if you want to sing the blues.

Well you can sing a happy song if you're glad (if you're glad)
You can sing a protest song if you're mad (if you're mad)
Ah, but if you want to sing the blues, then boy you'd better learn how to lose.

It seems like I have had these same old blues now since old time began
So I went to talk my troubles to the hoodoo man
I told him all about my problem, and I asked him what was wrong
He said you got to live the blues, if you want to sing your song
Seems like I'll always lose, you've got to suffer if you want to sing the blues.

Well you can sing a happy song if you're glad (if you're glad)
You can sing a protest song if you're mad (if you're mad)
Ah, but if you want to sing the blues, then boy you better learn how to lose.

I went and bought myself a lottery ticket, just to change my luck
I thought I wouldn't mind the losing, cause it only cost a buck
I won an electric poster, and a baritone sax, but I had to pawn my cloth just to pay off the tax
It seems I always lose, you've got to suffer if you want to...
I always lose, you've got to suffer if you want...
How come I always lose, you've got to suffer if you want to sing the blues.