It's called the Blues, Why?

I was just woundering if anyone can shed some light as to where the term Blues came from. I have heard several explanations but would like to here from you on your views or explenations.

Riff and be merry

i'd like to hear what you have heard...
we say that someone feels "blue", that word came from the Blues? or the Blues came from that word?
anyway tell us what you know

Blues Shredder

You might want to check out this page?

http://thebluehighway.com/history.html



M.T
Note:All the years i/ve been teaching,guitar i could,
never teach a student to play a blues line with fealing.
Anybody can play a blues lick ,but with fealing no.
There's an old saying in playing blues you gotta pay your dues.And i payed mine years ago.
Exsample:Bad things growing up that happened to you,
like loseing your first girl friend ,your parents ,
getting put in prison,ect ect.
I/m not saying you have to go out and rob a bank .
But to play the blues with fealing i would say something,
had to happen to you in your life time that hurt you,
so much that it made you start playing from the heart.

[Edited by skee1 on 05-14-2001 at 02:46 PM]

HI, here is two of the theories I have heard so far.

1. When the slaves were brought over to pick cotton etc. they would be given blue pants and shirt so they would be clothed and recognizable in the field, thus when they sang their sad or song the slave masters would say the blues are singing again.

2. (this is a bit more believable) When the slaves were beaten or thelr hands hand feet bruised through the hard labour the welts and swellings were blueish in colour, thus they wre sore, tired and homesick and would sing or play a sad lonley ballard etc.

so it could be that the blues as above could have given rise to the expression felling blue etc. etc. etc.

Riff and be merry