blues

Blues is a musical, vocal and instrumental genre that developed in the United States in the 19th century. It is a musical style in which the singer expresses his sadness and disappointments.

Blues performances are usually accompanied by guitars, bass and drums with the singer’s voice. The words usually speak of a grieving person who has suffered some misfortune or pain from their surroundings. Blues singers are also known to share their stories through an autobiographical perspective.

This music has been described as « tearing people’s hearts », « hauntingly beautiful » and « the music of loneliness ». The most famous blues singers are Muddy Waters, Howlin ‘Wolf, BB King, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, John Mayer and many more. The lyrics of the blues often contain references to alcohol, women, gambling, pain, poverty, and other aspects of 19th-century black American life.

The origin of the word « blues » is unclear. Another theory is that it comes from the Spanish « blanca » which means « white » and that « blue » was used as a color name because blues music was associated with white singers. Regardless of its origin, the term « blues » came to be used as a general term for any sad or melancholy song and eventually became a musical genre in its own right.