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

[Verse]
               A
You know some times I play the horses, but it seems I never win
A
I went out to the races late last week again
                  D                                        A
This time I won three hundred dollars, but as I left the track
A                                                     D
Some greasy man come up behind me, stuck a gun in my back
          E                            D                              A      E    E7
It seems I always lose, you've got to suffer if you want to sing the blues


[Break]
A
D G A
D E7
D A E

[Verse]
           A
I've got a sweet little girl, called run-around Sue
A
She's kind of rank looking, but she knows how to do
              D
Well now old Sue she's got a boyfriend, they call him Gentleman Jim
          A                                    D
I said "Listen Susan sweetheart, choose me or him"
                   E    N.C.            D                                A   E7
And she said, "You lose", you've got to suffer if you want to sing the blues

[Chorus]
                      F                       A
Well you can sing a happy song if you're glad (if you're glad)
A                 D
You can sing a protest song if you're mad (if you're mad)
     B                                       E
Ah, but if you want to sing the blues, then boy you'd better learn how to lose

[Verse]
                                   A
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
 D
I told him all about my problem, and I asked him what was wrong
    A                                                         D
He said you got to live the blues, if you want to sing your song
                 E                          D                               A  E
Seems like I'll always lose, you've got to suffer if you want to sing the blues


[Chorus]
                      F                        A
Well you can sing a happy song if you're glad (if you're glad)
A                 D                                      A
You can sing a protest song if you're mad (if you're mad)
     B                                A   B  E
Ah, but if you want to sing the blues, then boy you'd better learn how to lose

             E7             A
I went and bought myself a lottery ticket, just to change my luck
A
I thought I wouldn't mind the losing, cause it only cost a buck
          D             A        D              A                                             D
I won an electric poster, and a baritone sax, but I had to pawn my cloth just to pay off the tax
            E                           D              A
It seems I always lose, you've got to suffer if you want to...
    E                         D
I always lose, you've got to suffer if you want...
            E                           D                             A
How come I always lose, you've got to suffer if you want to sing the blues