Oh . . . They Say Some People Long Ago,
Were Searchin' For A Diff'rent Tune,
One That They Could Croon,
As Only They Can . . .

They Only Had The Rhythm . . . So,
They Started Swayin' To And Fro . . .
They Didn't Know Just What To Use,
That Is How The Blues,
Really Began . . .

They Heard The Breeze In The Trees,
Singin' 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 The Hill,
They Took A New Note ( Whippoorwill, Whippoorwill, Whippoorwill . . . )
Pushed It Through A Horn 'till It Was Worn,
Into A Blue Note . . . ( Whippoorwill, Whippoorwill, Whippoorwill . . . )

An' Then They Nursed It, And Rehearsed It,
And Gave Out The News,
That The "Southland" . . .
Gave Birth To The Blues!

( Shout Out The Wonderful News! )

Oh, The Breeze From The Trees,
A Wail From The Jail,
A Buzz From The Cousin Of A Nightin'gale,
And "Southland" ( Hello, Hello! )
Gave Birth To The Blues!

Music By Ray Henderson
With Lyrics By B.G. DeSylva And Lew Brown