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.