Hail to the shaman and his cardboard drum and the riffraff

Dancing in the sun

I sing for thee

Praise to the ugly and the dispossessed and the genius born of

The viper's nest

You have set me free

Heyyou cranks and you clowns with your heads hanging down

I bring good tidings to you

For all the talent that he has jehovah don't play jazz like the devil do



See the rose sprung from the heap of dung

The shafthorse hot and heavy hung shamelessly

Check the star dust oozing in the mud on it pilgrimage to flesh and blood

Now ain't that you and me

Heyyou shakespeares in rags little heretics and hags

To thine own self be true

Wellhe may be beautiful and king but jehovah he don't swing like the devil



Birdmanbirdmanwhat's the wordman

Into the night we go

Billiebillieknock me silly

Sing to me soft and low

Save me from losing my soul to a heaven as cold as ice

I'd sooner be a free man in hell than a prisoner in paradise



So I toot my toot for the man with roots

Heyfifer on the e-flat flute play onplay on

All you sinners and you infidels you you artful madmen bound for hell

Come sing along

Come onyou potty-trained saints spouting' isms and ain'ts

Dig the poetry my man

Well all deference to his throne

Gabriel he don't play no saxophone like coltrane can



Nowsave me from losing my soul to a heaven as cold as ice

I'd sooner be a free man in hell than a prisoner in paradise



I'd sooner catch fire than kill my desire



Hail to the shaman and his cardboard drum and the riffraff

Dancing in the sun

I sing for you

For all the talent he has jehovah don't play jazz like the devil do

Yeahthe devil do

Must admit he do

Ahda devil do



Birdmanbirdmanwhat's the wordman

Into the night we go

Billiebillieknock me silly

Sing to me soft and low



Foll all the talent that he has jehovah don't play no jazz ....