Mississippi State University has the sheet music; however, they have not made the images available online. They say "restricted due to copyright laws" although copyright for this song should have expired. I assume this is a mistake. However, I found the lyrics here. You can hear the song sung by Jessie Matthews at YouTube.


WHIP-POOR-WILL
Words by Buddy De Sylva, music by Jerome Kern.
New York: T. B. Harms Company, 1920.

1. Mem'ry takes me back away,
To an early childhood day,
When I stood within a little wood as day was fading.
I remember, oh so well,
Strolling in the dusky dell,
I would thrill, because the whip-poor-will was serenading,
Thrilling while stars were rapidly filling the sky.

CHORUS: Whip-poor-will, I used to love to hear you call to me.
Whip-poor-will, I know he meant the world and all to me.
When the sun had gone to rest,
I could hear you from your nest,
Whip-poor-will, You used to whistle tenderly.
And when the moon would swing,
Across the branches of the trees above,
You would sing
Your plaintive little melodies of love.
Now though you're no longer near,
In my dreams, I still can hear
Whip-poor-will
Ever calling to me.

2. While the dusky night bird flew
To the evening rendezvous,
In the dell, I've heard the vesper bell, so softly ringing.
As its music died away,
And the sky began to gray,
All was still, and then the Whip-poor-will was serenading,
Thrilling while stars were rapidly filling the sky.