Why blue?

So why did they pick the color blue to describe feeling sort of down?

Having "the blues" can mean you're feeling lonesome, discouraged, blase', disappointed, somber, disaffected, grumpy, depressed, glum, despondent, morose... all of those things. Some of which sound kind of familiar. :]

But why blue?

There must be an etymology of the colloquial phrase. But I haven't found one that satisfies yet.

And that's the problem with having the blues, isn't it? Nothing satisifes. :( Except of course the thing you want but don't have. You know.. a home, a friend, a job, a girl, whatever. If you only had it..

Why then, your grey skies would turn to blue! :)

But wait.. I thought blue..

oh, never mind. This is why I'm not a linguist by trade. I get confused. Give me two columns of numbers to compare, though.. and I'm all set.

Or, give me a topic to write about. Even if it's one that I don't get. Like this one.

Ha - not understanding something has never held me back from writing about it before.. heck, I do that in seminary all the time. ;)