Ho down down
Ho down dee
Red bird dancin'
In custody

Goin' down
New Orleans
Red bird dancin'
An a red bird sing

Red bird sing
Red bird do
New Orleans
An a red bird blue

I been born
An I'm gonna die
Blood red wing
You gonna make me fly

Goin' in
A red bird den
Ain't gonna
Come out again

Ho down down
Ho down dee
Red bird dancin'
In custody

Ho down down
Ho down dee
Red bird dance
A penitentiary

A jailer stoned
An he barred the door
Red bird gone, yeah
To fly no more

Black crow see
Black crow knew
New Orleans is where
The red bird flew

I been born
An I'm gonna die
Blood red wing
You gonna make me cry

Rusty wing
A daed dark thing
Crows too loud now
When the red bird sing

Ho down down
Ho down dee
Red bird dance
A penitentiary