The early returns from SoundCloud are that “Not Gonna Sing the Blues” is the most popular (or at least the most-played) song off my little album New Dog Old Tricks. Who woulda thought?
I had a burst of creative energy and wrote most of the songs for this album in 2023 and 2024 after completing “Song for My Daughter,” the first song I had written in 15 years. But then I picked up my song notebook this past March 11 and noticed that the last song I’d written was on March 14, 2024. Almost another year had gone by since I’d composed a song; I had slacked off again.
To avoid a gap of a full 365 days, I dashed off “Not Gonna Sing the Blues” in about 15 minutes.
And thus I join the multitude of musicians who had a modicum of success with a song they banged out in just a few minutes.
I do not presume to suggest that “Not Gonna Sing the Blues” is in the same league as “Skyfall,” or “Royals,” or “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” which better songwriters than I dashed out in less than a half-hour each, but so far it’s the biggest song on this album. Go figure.
Maybe it’s the “guitar solo” in the middle …
Not Gonna Sing the Blues
I’m not gonna sing the blues no more, uh huh.
I’m not gonna sing the blues no more, uh huh.
I found me a girl that I adore, uh huh.
I’m not gonna cry all through the night, uh huh,
No, I’m not gonna cry all through the night, uh huh.
Cause I found me a love and a sweet delight, uh huh.
Well, somewhere in my memory I crumbled in despair,
But then I reached out to heaven and found my angel there,
And now I’m not gonna sing the blues no more, uh huh.
I’m not gonna whine that I’m so alone, uh huh.
No, I’m not gonna whine, “I’m so alone!” Uh huh
Cause my girl’s so fine she makes me moan, uh huh.
And I’m not gonna sing the blues no more, no no,
I’m not gonna sing the blues no more, uh huh,
I found me a girl that I adore, uh huh,
And I’m not gonna sing the blues no more, uh huh.
©℗ 2025 w.p. bluhm
