They heard the breeze in the trees
Singing weird melodies
And they made that,
The start of the blues

And from a jail came the wail
Of a down-hearted frail
And they played that
As part of the blues

From a whippoorwill
Out on a hill they took a new note
Then they pushed it through a horn
Until it was worn into a blue note

And then they nursed it
They rehearsed it
And then sent out that news
That the Southland gave birth to the blues

They nursed it
And they rehearsed it
That the Southland they gave birth to the blues

And they made that,
The start of the blues

Well I'm telling you
They played that as the start of the blues

From a whippoorwill
Way out on a hill they took a new note
Then they pushed it through a horn
Until it was worn into a blue note

And then they nursed it
They rehearsed it
And gave out that news
That the Southland gave birth to the blues

And then they nursed it
They rehearsed it
And gave out that news
That the Southland gave birth to the blues

