Here are the lyrics from a Billy Edd Wheeler album called Country Essentials. The album is dated 2011, but I think it is a reissue of a much earlier recording.

HIGH FLYING BIRD
(Billy Edd Wheeler)

There's a high flying bird up in the sky
And I wonder if that bird looks down as he flies by
Riding on the air so easy in the sky

The sun comes along ... lights up the day
And when he gets tired he slides on over the way
East to the West he gets gone every day

CHORUS
But Lord look at me here
Rooted like a tree here
I got the sit down, can't cry
Oh, Lord I'm gonna die blues

I used to have a mule ... and he worked in the mines
And that old mule, he got to be a buddy of mine.
Then one day my mule, he up and died

My mule up and died
My mule up and died
He had to fly away
And the only way to fly was to die

Repeat first stanza
CHORUS


Billy Edd Wheeler recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B34LD637m_8

Judy Henske recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ-So8S-29M