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