Talents Blues

A Gospel blues retelling of The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30). This song reflects on responsibility, faithfulness, fear, and what it means to use what we are given. Told through a traditional blues structure, the story follows three servants—two who act with courage and diligence, and one who hides his gift out of fear.

Scripture Matthew 25:14–30

²⁸“‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. ²⁹For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ³⁰And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Lyrics

Verse 1
Man went away on a long road out of town,
Yeah a man went away on a long road out of town,
He called his servants up and he laid them money down.

Verse 2
Said, “One gets five, now go and do your best,”
Yeah “one gets five, now go and do your best,”
“One gets two, and one gets one,” then he rode off west.

Verse 3
Five went to work, kept them hands in motion,
Yeah five went to work, kept them hands in motion,
Turned five into ten with a steady, faithful notion.

Verse 4
Two went to work, didn’t waste no time,
Yeah two went to work, didn’t waste no time,
Turned two into four, made them simple dollars climb.

Verse 5
But the one with one got scared and stayed low,
Yeah the one with one got scared and stayed low,
Dug a hole in the ground, said, “That’s the safest way to go.”

Verse 6
After a long while, that master came back home,
Yeah after a long while, that master came back home,
He said, “Come tell me what you did while I was gone to roam.”

Verse 7
Five said, “I traded, Lord, I kept it straight and true,”
Yeah five said, “I traded, Lord, I kept it straight and true,”
“Here’s ten in my hands, I doubled what you threw.”

Verse 8
Master said, “Well done, you faithful and you wise,”
Yeah master said, “Well done, you faithful and you wise,”
“Step into my joy,” with a smile in his eyes.

Verse 9
Two said, “I worked it, Lord, I stayed on the track,”
Yeah two said, “I worked it, Lord, I stayed on the track,”
“Here’s four in my hands, I brought you profit back.”

Verse 10
Master said, “Well done, you been faithful over few,”
Yeah master said, “Well done, you been faithful over few,”
“I’ll set you over many,” that’s what he said he’d do.

Verse 11
Then the one said, “Master, I knew you hard as stone,”
Yeah the one said, “Master, I knew you hard as stone,”
“So I hid what you gave me, kept it safe, kept it own.”

Verse 12
Said, “Here’s your one coin, I didn’t let it fall,”
Yeah “here’s your one coin, I didn’t let it fall,”
But the master said, “Fear ain’t faith, that ain’t it at all.”

Verse 13
“You coulda put it where it would earn some gain,”
Yeah you coulda put it where it would earn some gain,
“Even in the bank,” he said, “so it wouldn’t sit in vain.”

Verse 14
“Take that talent from him, give it to the ten,”
Yeah take that talent from him, give it to the ten,
“’Cause the one who uses what he got will grow again.”

Verse 15
“And the one who buries it, loses even more,”
Yeah the one who buries it, loses even more,
“Cast him out the door,” where the cold night roar.

Verse 16
So I’m gonna work my portion till the daylight done,
Yeah I’m gonna work my portion till the daylight done,
Don’t bury what you’re given—let it shine, let it run.

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