"Today I Sing the Blues" is a song written by

Curtis Lewis Curtis Reginald Lewis (August 29, 1918 – May 23, 1969), American composer of popular songs, many of which have become jazz standards. He was born in Fort Worth, Texas, grew up in Chicago, and came to New York City in the 1940s. Lewis subsequent ...

and performed by Aretha Franklin. The song reached number 10 on the U.S. R&B chart in 1960. The song appeared on her 1961 album, '' Aretha''. The song was produced by John Hammond.. Franklin re-recorded the song in

1969 This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon. Events January * January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco. * January 5 **Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...

on the album ''

Soul '69 ''Soul '69'' is the fourteenth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin released in 1969 by Atlantic Records, the album features covered material. The album charted at number 1 on ''Billboard''s R&B albums chart and at number 15 on ''Billboa ...

'' and it reached number 101 on the U.S. pop chart.Aretha Franklin, "Today I Sing the Blues" chart position
Retrieved September 13, 2013. It also charted on the Cash Box Top 100 chart. "Today I Sing the Blues", originally written in 1948 and recorded the same year by

Helen Humes Helen Humes (June 23, 1913 – September 9, 1981) was an American singer. Humes was a teenage blues singer, a vocalist with Count Basie's band, a saucy R&B diva, and a mature interpreter of the classic popular song. Early life She was born on ...

and

Buck Clayton Wilbur Dorsey "Buck" Clayton (November 12, 1911 – December 8, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter who was a member of Count Basie's orchestra. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong, first hearing the record "Confessin' That I Love You" ...

's Orchestra, was included in the second album of Sam Cooke, ''

Encore An encore is an additional performance given by performers after the planned show has ended, usually in response to extended applause from the audience.Lalange Cochrane, in ''Oxford Companion to Music'', Alison Latham, ed., Oxford University Pre ...

'', recorded in 1958.

Chart performance

Aretha Franklin

Cover versions

*In 2012, Christine Anu covered the song on her album ''Rewind: The Aretha Franklin Songbook''.

References

1960 songs 1960 singles 1969 singles Aretha Franklin songs Columbia Records singles Jazz songs Song recordings produced by John Hammond (record producer) {{1960s-single-stub