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.