ho down down ho down dee red bird dancing in custody going down new orleans red bird dancing and a red bird sing red bird sing red bird do new orleans and a red bird blue i ve been born and i m gonna die blood red wing you gonna make me fly going in a red bird den ain t gonna come out again ho down down ho down dee red bird dancing in custody ho down down ho down dee red bird dance a penitentiary a jailer stoned and 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 ve been born and i m gonna die blood red wing you gonna make me cry rusty wing a dead dark thing crows too loud now when red bird sing ho down down ho down dee red bird dance a penitentiary