Blue Monk (Lincoln)

'Blue Monk' is an instrumental jazz standard written by pianist Thelonious Monk, that has become one of his most enduring tunes. First recorded by him on September 22, 1954 for release on Prestige.

Lyrics were added later by Abbey LINCOLN:

Going alone, life is your own, but the cost sometimes is dear
Being complete, knowing defeat, keeping on from year to year
It takes some doing, Monkery's the blues you hear, keepin' on from year to year

Life is a school, 'less you're a fool, but the learning brings you pain
Knowing at once, you're just a dunce, trial and error, loss and gain
It takes some doing, Monkery's a slow, slow train, trial and error, loss and gain

Finding your one place in the sun, doesn't come the easy way
Shallow or deep, nothing is cheap, measured by the dues you pay
It takes some doing, Monkery's a blue highway, measured by the dues you pay


Recordings exist by Abbey Lincoln (1961), Jeanne Lee w/ Ran Blake, Karin Krog & Dexter Gordon, Nannie Pores, Christine Correa w/ Ran Blake, Roseanna Vitro & Kevin Mahogany, Karrin Allyson, Roberta Donnay, Deborah Latz, etc.