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 a part of the blues

From a whippoorwill
Up on a hill
They took a new note
They pushed it through a horn
Until it was worn
Into a blue note

And then they nursed it
Rehearsed it
And gave out the news
That the Southland gave birth to the blues

They nursed it
Then they rehearsed it
Then they gave out the news
That the Southland they gave birth to the blues