You can never tell what’s in a man’s mind
And if he’s from Harlem, there’s no use of even tryin’
Just like the tide, his mind comes and goes
Like March weather, when he’ll change
Nobody knows, nobody knows

The man I love, well, he just turned me down, he’s a Harlem brown
Off times I wish that I were in this ground, six feet underground
He idolized me, as no other could, no, no
Then he surprised me, leavin’ me a note sayin’ he’s gone for good
Gone for good

And since my sweetie left me,
Harlem, well, it ain’t the same old place
Though a thousand dandies smile right in my face
I think I’ll mooch some homemade hooch and go out for a lark
Just to drive off these mean ole Harlem Blues

You can have your Broadway, give me Lenox Avenue
Angels from the skies stroll 7th and for that thanks are due
From Madam Walker’s beauty shops to the Pro-Ro System 2
That made those girls angels without any doubt

There are some spots up in Harlem where I’m told it’s sudden death
To let somebody see you even stop to catch your breath
If you’ve never been to Harlem, then I guess you’ll never know
The power of these mean ole Harlem blues

Ah, there’s one sweet spot in Harlem known as Striver’s Row
‘Ditty folks come call them, one thing you should know
Is that I have a friend who lives there I know he won’t refuse
To put some music to my troubles and call ‘em Harlem blues

And since my sweetie left me, Harlem, well, it ain’t the same old place
Though a thousand dandies smile right in my face
I think I’ll mooch some homemade hooch and go out for a lark
Just to drive off these mean ole Harlem Blues

Ah, there’s one sweet spot in Harlem known as Striver’s Row
‘Ditty folks come call them, one thing you should know
Is that I have a friend who lives there I know he won’t refuse
To put some music to my troubles and call ‘em Harlem blues
To put some music to my troubles and call them the Harlem blues

Harlem, the Harlem blues, Harlem, the Harlem blues.