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