Sounds from the southland from bygone years Sweetest music that ever touched my ears When I heard sleepy John Estes sing First time I heard yank's mandolin Played with Hammie Nixon and Sleepy John Kept me glued to the gramophone Such a funky sound, it was the real thing And I used to love yank's mandolin I met yank Rachell some years ago Some place up north, we shared the show I felt so proud to be on the bandstand Play the blues with the mandolin man Such a gentle man with a big old smile Rocked the joint, the crowd went wild Played the old time blues from way back when Yank was known as the mandolin man Early last April took up and died Angels lifted him up to the sky I bet he's playing in the heavenly band Angels boppin' to the blues of the mandolin man Yank Rachell's gone to another shore He'll never play down here no more Ain't nobody that ever walked the land Played the blues like the mandolin ma