Don’t Try to Lay No Boogie Woogie on the King of Rock and Roll

Lyrics

[Spoken word prologue] You know, I remember a few years ago Some funny things used to happen to me About 1956-57 At that time there was no blues scene Or not really any kind of scene in London I used to go out and play my guitar in the streets And sing things with passing my hat down I remember one particular night I was playing the guitar in a little alleyway Just off of Wardour Street in Soho And I got busted by the police This policeman come up and dragged me and my guitar And my hat full of pennies off to the police station Anyway, the next day I had to appear in Marlborough Street Police Court And it was quite a day Police officer giving his evidence "I was proceeding in a southerly direction, milord When I heard strange sounds Coming from Wardour Place, milord A sort of 'boo-gee woo-gee' music was being played On further investigation, I saw the defendant Standing there with a guitar and an old hat On the floor collecting pennies Well, I decided that he was contravening A breach of the peace there, as there was A traffic jam about five miles long down Wardour Street Wondering what all the fuss was about So then I arrested the defendant" "Ah, just one moment, officer Well, what is this 'boo-gee woo-gee' music Here we're talking about?" "Oh, well, milord", said the officer Getting out his notebook, obviously Been doing up his homework "It's a kind of jazz-rhythm music Peculiar to the American-Negro" "Oh! And what was the defendant doing Playing this kind of music there in Wardour Street?" Anyway I got off with a caution A year's conditional discharge But I'll always remember that policeman And his "boo-gee woo-gee" So don't try to lay no "boo-gee woo-gee" On the king of rock and roll Ho! [First verse] Don't tell me nothing, don't lies, a woman 'Cause all you know I've told Don't sell me no alibis, sister 'Cause all you've got I've sold You better leave at a-midnight a-slinking To the one who works it out I don't want to hear no rack-tackem squeaking Go on and shut your mouth And everything is gonna work out tight If you ain't like you been told Just don't try to lay no boogie woogie On the king of rock and roll [Second verse] Don't feed me no TV dinners When you know that I'm used to steak I don't need no rank beginners When it's time to shake the shake You better pull your thing together When you've been dusted out And if you feel that you just can't dig it You know you don't know what it's all about It ain't a matter of per convenience That's gonna justify your soul Just don't try to lay no boogie woogie On the king of rock and roll [Instrumental bridge] Don't try to lay no boogie woogie On the king of rock and roll [Third verse] You weren't alive when I started to jive So don't pull nothing on me You didn't arrive til late '45 But your head's in '53 You got what it takes, get their heads a-spinnin' Down by the lonely shack But you come on just like a fool woman In the back of a red Cadillac You can't come across the Oxbow Bridge Until you pay the toll So don't try to lay no boogie woogie On the king of rock and roll