The song is a slow and mournful blues, with a melody that is both simple and expressive. The lyrics tell the story of a man who is down on his luck and feeling blue, but who finds solace in his music. The song is a classic of the New Orleans jazz tradition, and it has been praised for its emotional power and its ability to capture the feeling of the city's nightlife.
Here are the lyrics to Basin Street Blues:
> I've got the Basin Street Blues,
>My money's all gone,
>I can't take my ease.
>I want to drink some good corn liquor,
>And see a brown skin gal,
>And do the things that I was doing when I was single,
>Back when I was single,
>Back when I was single,
>I could do anything.
>I used to live on Easy Street,
>But now I'm on Hard Times Road.
>I used to get up at noon,
>And now I get up at 4:00 A.M.
>I used to eat off of gold plates,
>And now I eat off of tin cans.
>But I've still got the Basin Street Blues,
>My money's all gone,
>I can't take my ease.
>I want to drink some good corn liquor,
>And see a brown skin gal,
>And do the things that I was doing when I was single,
>Back when I was single,
>Back when I was single,
>I could do anything.