I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues: Sheet Music

Looking for the sheet music to Elton John’s “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues”? We’ve got you covered! Check out our post for the full scoop.

What is the blues?

The blues is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of the United States around the end of the 19th century. The style is a progression from earlier African-American work songs and spirituals. The first use of the term “blue notes” in reference to music can be dated back to 1901, when an African-American newspaper used it to describe the melancholy sound of ragtime. The blue note is often referred to as the “heartbeat of jazz”.

The blues has been a major influence on many other genres of music, including rock and roll, country, jazz, rhythm and blues, and hip hop. The blues continues to be an important part of American popular culture; annual festivals dedicated to blues music are held in cities across the country, and the genre is featured prominently in movies, television, and literature.

Where did the blues come from?

The blues came from the fields and plantations of the Deep South. It is a music that evolved out of the hardships experienced by African Americans during slavery and Reconstruction. The first blues songs were oral traditions passed down from generation to generation. These songs were often about heartbreak, loss, and hardship, which is why the blues is sometimes referred to as “the devil’s music.”

The first recorded blues song was “Memphis Blues” by W.C. Handy in 1912. Handy was a black musician who was born in Florence, Alabama, in 1873. He began his career playing the cornet in a band led by his father. He later moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where he became one of the most popular bandleaders of his day.

Handy’s “Memphis Blues” was so successful that he decided to write more songs in the same style. He is credited with popularizing the blues among both black and white audiences. By the 1920s, the blues had spread from the Deep South to other parts of the country, including Chicago and New York City.

Many famous musicians got their start playing the blues, including Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, and Duke Ellington. The blues has also influenced other genres of music, such as jazz and rock ‘n’ roll.

The blues in America

The blues began in America as the music of poor, mostly African-American sharecroppers and rural laborers in the Deep South around the end of the 19th century. Though it took many forms, the blues always conveyed a sense of personal struggle and despair, often in a humorous way. At its heart was the simple 12-bar blues chord progression, which provided a framework for musicians to improvised their own lyrics and melodies.

Over time, the blues spread north from its birthplace in the American South, with performers such as W.C. Handy, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and B.B. King helping to popularize the genre with mainstream audiences. The blues would go on to have a profound influence on other American musical genres, including jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, and country music.

The blues today

The blues today is a living music. It has been called America’s classical music, and for good reason. The blues has been the foundation for much of the music we enjoy today. It has been at the heart of Jazz, Rock & Roll, Country and Hip Hop. Even non-blues songs often borrow from the blues form or feel.

The blues is a feeling, a way of life. And it’s easy to see why it has such a hold on so many people. The blues is honest, soulful and real. It’s a music that comes from the heart and speaks to the soul. It’s a music that can make you feel good when you’re down, and can help you celebrate when you’re up.

If you’ve never experienced the blues, now is the perfect time to start. And what better way to start than with some sheet music? Check out our collection of blues sheet music and find the perfect song for your next jam session!

How to play the blues

How to play the blues is a question that has been asked since the genre’s inception. There are a few different ways to play the blues, but the most common way is 12-bar blues. 12-bar blues is a simple chord progression that consists of the I, IV, and V chords of a key. For example, in the key of C, the I, IV, and V chords are C, F, and G. In 12-bar blues, these chords are played in a repeating pattern of 12 bars, or measures.

The 12-bar blues progression can be divided into three sections, or phases. The first phase (bars 1-4) is called the “establishing” phase because it establishes the tonic chord (I). The second phase (bars 5-8) is called the “searching” phase because it features the dominant chord (V) which creates a feeling of tension. The last phase (bars 9-12) is called the “resolving” phase because it resolves that tension by returning to the tonic chord (I).

While 12-bar blues is the most common form of blues, there are other forms that you may come across. 8-bar blues is similar to 12-bar blues, but it uses only 8 bars instead of 12. 16-bar blues is another variation that uses 16 bars instead of 12. There are also variations that use different numbers of bars, such as 9-bar blues or 24-bar blues.

No matter what form of blues you’re playing, the basic principles are always the same: establish the tonic chord in the first few bars, create tension with the dominant chord in the middle section, and resolve that tension by returning to the tonic chord in the last few bars.