The blues by Yeats

Sometimes I'm asked just what is the blues? Well it is a lifestyle. A way of looking at the world, a worldview, you might call it. It is universal and has been expressed by many cultures over time.

Although mostly associated with African American culture, it is in fact just an explanation of the condition of man. At least that is what I think. Consider the words of William Butler Yeats, who wrote,

"We begin to live when we have conceived life as tragedy."

Now tell me if that is not a clear and concise statement of the blues.