And you believe all that?

Typical of Americans to try to take the credit for something that happened centuries before.


Now I have it on good authority that it was actually Henry VIII in the early 1500s who is attributed as being the first bluesman. He loved the ladies and had six wifes plus quite a few mistresses. He loved a drink and also played many instruments (self taught) He was quite a harp player by all accounts. He wrote the world famous Bluesleeves in honour of one of his wives who he had just murdered after an argument over him being too lazy to get a proper job. He spent the rest of his life on the run living in the back of wagons and relying on his musical prowess to bum a meal and get him by. Sadly he died a pauper from a disease that he picked up in the back of a wagon.
He was such a cult hero that the pope made him a saint and many of his progeny copied his lifestyle and musical heritage. So the blues was born.

His chord structures live on today and form the basis for ALL blues songs.

GREENSLEEVES
(Howlin Henry )

Em G D Bm
Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
Em B7
To cast me off discourteously.
Em G D B
For I have loved you well and long,
Em B7 Em
Delighting in your company.

Chorus:
G D
Bluesleeves was all my joy
Em B7
Bluesleeves was my delight,
G D
Bluesleeves was my heart of gold,
Em B7 E
And who but my lady Bluesleeves.

Additional Verses:
Your vows you've broken, like my heart,
Oh, why did you so enrapture me?
Now I remain in a world apart
But my heart remains in captivity.

I have been ready at your hand,
To grant whatever you would crave,
I have both wagered life and land,
Your love and good-will for to have.

If you intend thus to disdain,
It does the more enrapture me,
And even so, I still remain
A lover in captivity.

My men were clothed all in green,
And they did ever wait on thee;
All this was gallant to be seen,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.

Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,
But still thou hadst it readily.
Thy music still to play and sing;
And yet thou wouldst not love me.

Well, I will pray to God on high,
That thou my constancy mayst see,
And that yet once before I die,
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.

Ah, Bluesleeves, now farewell, adieu,
To God I pray to prosper thee,
For I am still thy lover true,
Come once again and love me.





http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=687727&songID=5238055