Born between two oceans
I took a great notion
Hitchhiked all across this land
Raised on funky Broadway
I came up the hard way
C'mon fellas strike up the band

I heard it
I heard it
I heard it
I heard it
I heard it
I heard it the first time

I gotcha
I gotcha
I gotcha
I gotcha
I gotcha
I gotcha the first time

Honest Abe done freed those slaves
Eighteen sixty three
Sitting Bull and Geronimo
Waitin' for the Robert E. Lee

Slightly American music
Slightly American
Slightly American music
Totally rockin' the world

Bandstand in Philly
Was knockin' 'em silly
And Fats down in New Orleans
Elvis and Buddy
Mr. Waters was Muddy
"Rag doll", "sweet little sixteen"

We played it
We played it
We played it
We played it
We played it
We played it the first time
We made it
We made it
We made it
We made it
We made it the first time

Little Richard, Jerry Lee
'Round, 'round I get around
Spector built that wall so high
Even the Beatles couldn't tear it down
"Ooooooh!"

Sinatra and ole Bing
Taught us how to sing
In Nashville they're cookin'
Say "hey good lookin"

The gang in motor city
Sure is sittin' pretty
"School's out" in Alabama
Ding dong and rama lama

When I hear "Rhapsody in Blue"
It always makes me cry
Jolson falls down on his knees
Every single Fourth of July