A case of the blues

Origin

The color blue has long been a symbol of sorrow, with phrases like 'blue devils' describing melancholy as far back as the 17th century. However, it was the raw, soul-stirring music born from the African American experience in the post-Civil War American South that truly cemented 'the blues' into our lexicon. This unique musical form, characterized by its distinctive chord progressions and mournful lyrics, was explicitly named for the deep feelings of hardship, loss, and longing it expressed. From this powerful cultural wellspring, the phrase 'a case of the blues' emerged, translating the profound emotional depth of the music into a common idiom for a temporary spell of sadness or despondency.