特别提示：Blues从音乐结构上讲就是小调的Ｉ，ＩＶ，Ｖ，从音乐历史、文化和影响的角度讲，它是当代摇滚乐的鼻祖。
Blues／布鲁斯

　　Blues is about tradition and personal expression. At its core, the blues has remained the same since its inception. Most blues feature simple, usually three-chord, progressions and have simple structures that are open to endless improvisations, both lyrical and musical.

　　布鲁斯包含传统和私人化的表达。其核心自打其出现一直保持不变。大多数布鲁斯乐的特点是简单的，通常是三和弦的和弦级进，而在词作和音乐上的简单结构则对于无穷无尽的即兴敞开了大门。

　　The blues grew out of African spirituals and worksongs. In the late 1800s, southern African-Americans passed the songs down orally, and they collided with American folk and country from the Appalachians. New hybrids appeared by each region, but all of the recorded blues from the early 1900s are distinguished by simple, rural acoustic guitars and pianos.

　　布鲁斯乐成长自非洲人的精神和劳动号子中。在19世纪的晚期，南部非洲血统的美国人以口传唱歌曲，这些歌与美国民谣和北美阿巴拉契亚山脉地区的乡村乐互相碰撞。每个地区都出现了新的混合品，但20世纪初期录制的布鲁斯则是靠着简单、乡野气息的原声吉他和钢琴区别开来。

　　After World War II, the blues began to fragment, with some musicians holding on to acoustic traditions and others taking it to jazzier territory. However, most bluesmen followed Muddy Waters'''''''''''''''' lead and played the blues on electric instruments. From that point on, the blues continued to develop in new directions — particularly on electric instruments — or it has been preserved as an acoustic tradition.

　　二战后，布鲁斯乐开始分裂，一些乐人继续着原来的传统而其他一些刚开始步入爵士的领域。最终，多数的布鲁斯艺人追随Muddy Water（编者注：战后芝加哥最重要的布鲁斯艺人之一，特别是其在电声乐器上尝试的演奏先河）开创的方向在电声乐器上演奏布鲁斯。从那时起，布鲁斯便持续地在新方向上发展－－特别是在电声乐器中－－也作为一种原声的文化保留至今。