Well, you heard about the Great Pretender?
I went to see him and he's not the same
Down by the club on the parking lot cinders
I was to meet him and play his game.
Yonder stands the sinner
He calls my name without a sound.

I saw his face in the attic window
Yellin' down through the broken pane
Sinner man! What you got to run for?
Church bells rang when he said that name.

In a matter of time,
There'll be a friend of mine
Gonna come to the coast,
You're gonna see him
Up close for a minute or two
While the ground cracks under you.

By the look in your eyes
You'd think that it was a surprise
But you seem to forget
Something somebody said
About the bubbles in the sea
And an ocean full of trees.

And you now, L.A.

Well, if you've got the craving for some jellyroll
You've got to have it right now
Well, if you've got the craving for some jellyroll
You've got to have it right now
I'm your jellyroll man
I've got to have it right now.

I'm your jellyroll man
I'm your jellyroll man
I'm your jellyroll man
I'm your jellyroll man
I'm your jellyroll man
I've got to have it right now.

Cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, cry,
Cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, cry,
Cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, cry.

Well, old man river just keeps on rollin'
On down the line
Like my tears just keep on flowin'
All the time
Can't you hear me cry.

Cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, cry,
Cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, cry,
Cry, cry, cry, cry.

Well, somewhere there's a rainbow for me,
I know it's my time

When grandma and grandpa get out on the floor
They rock until they drop and then they rock some more
Yeah, everybody's rockin', well, everybody's rockin'
Everybody's rockin', rockin' to the dancin' beat.

From the shaky city down to New Orleans
The Golden Gate to the Bronx and Queens
Everybody's rockin', yeah, everybody's rockin',
Well, everybody's rockin', rockin' to the dancin' beat.

Cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, cry,
Cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, cry,
Cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, cry.

Well, old man river just keeps on rollin'
On down the line
Like my tears just keep on flowin'
All the time
Can't you hear me cry.

Cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, cry,
Cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, cry,
Cry, cry, cry, cry.

Well, somewhere there's a rainbow for me,
I know it's my time
I am getting so tired

When grandma and grandpa
get out on the floor
They rock until they drop
and then they rock some more
Yeah, everybody's rockin',
well, everybody's rockin'
Everybody's rockin',
rockin' to the dancin' beat.

From the shakey city
down to New Orleans
The Golden Gate
to the Bronx and Queens
Everybody's rockin',
yeah, everybody's rockin',
Well, everybody's rockin',
rockin' to the dancin' beat.

Well, if you've got the craving
for some jellyroll
You've got to have it right now
Well, if you've got the craving
for some jellyroll
You've got to have it right now
I'm your jellyroll man
I've got to have it right now.

I'm your jellyroll man
I'm your jellyroll man
I'm your jellyroll man
I'm your jellyroll man
I'm your jellyroll man
I've got to have it right now.

Well, if you've got the craving

Well, I went with Mary Lou
Tried Peggy Sue
Had a date with Donna
And Barbara Ann too
But I'm kinda fonda Wanda.
Kinda fonda Wanda.
Yeah, I'm kinda fonda Wanda.
'Cause Wanda always
wanna, wanna, wanna.

Well, I went out with Jenny
Took out skinny Minnie
Long tall Sally
And short fat Fanny.
But I'm kinda fonda Wanda.
Kinda fonda Wanda.
Yeah, I'm kinda fonda Wanda.
'Cause Wanda always

This one's for you Al Freed,
Wherever you go, whatever you do
'Cause the things they're doing today
Will make a saint out of you
Payola blues.
I've got the payola blues
Even though I already paid my dues.

Listen to me Mr. D.J.,
hear what I've got to say
If a man is making music,
they ought to let his record play.
Payola blues
No matter where I go
I never hear my record on the radio.

I've been walking all night long
My footsteps made me crazy
Baby, you've been gone so long
I'm wonderin' if you'll come home
I'm hopin' that you'll be my baby
I'm wonderin' if I'll be alone
Knowin' that I need you to save me.

I've been talking all day long
To keep my heart from sadness
Baby, you've been gone so long
I'm wonderin' if you'll come home
I'm hopin' that you'll be my baby