"Blue" is a song released in 1958 by Bill Mack, an American songwriter-country artist and country radio disc jockey.

"[4] His recording received a limited amount of radio airplay and sold fairly well regionally, but it did not become popular.

Although it was claimed that Mack had been waiting to find the right vocalist to record "Blue" for all that time, the song was recorded by at least five artists (Mack himself in 1958, Kenny Roberts in 1966, Roy Drusky circa 1960-70s, Polly Stephens Exley in the late 1980s, and Kathryn Pitt in 1993) prior to LeAnn Rimes.

[20][21] Kenny Roberts released "Blue" in 1966 as a 45 rpm single backed with "Sioux City Sue" for Starday Records, catalog number 788.

[37] In September 1997, the parties said they had settled the dispute awarding royalties to Polly Stephens Exley, but was issued a gag order not to publicly talk about her role in the writing of the song.

[38] American singer LeAnn Rimes first recorded the song at Norman Petty Studio in Clovis, NM, when she was 11 years old for her 1994 independent album All That.

[40][41] Rimes' father Wilbur and Dallas-Fort Worth manager Marty Rendleman received the Polly Stephens Exley version sent by Bill Mack when putting together the All That album.

Rimes recorded a third version with The Time Jumpers for her 2011 album Lady & Gentlemen, co-producing it with Darrell Brown.

[46] Shawn Haney of AllMusic stated the song was a "sleeper hit," a "radio-friendly airplay single" and that it should "affect listeners in a charismatic and lighthearted way.

"[47] When re-released on Lady & Gentlemen, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine said the new recording "illustrates just how far she’s come -- how she’s become a stronger, more nuanced singer over the years.

"[49] The accompanying music video for "Blue" features Rimes sitting by Barton Springs Pool in the summer with sunglasses on while young men pass her by.