Elton John
Don’t Try to Lay No Boogie-Woogie on the King of Rock and Roll
[Spoken Introduction]
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 round

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 Marlboro Street Police Court

And it was quite a day. Police officer, giving his evidence:

"I was proceeding in a southerly direction, my lord, when I heard strange sounds coming from Wardour Place, my lord. A sort of boogie-woogie 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 on Wardour Street, wondering what all the fuss was about. So then I arrested the defendant."

"Ah, just one moment officer, what is this boogie-woogie music here you were talking about?"

"Oh, well, my lord," 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 years' conditional discharge. But I'll always remember that policeman and his boogie-woogie music. So don't try to lay no boogie-woogie on the king of rock and roll!

[Song]
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 slinking
To the one who works it out
I don't want to hear no
Back talk speakin'
Go on and shut your mouth

And everything is
Gonna work out tight
If you act like you been told
Just don't try to lay no boogie woogie
On the king of rock and roll

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
Reach in and dust it 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 pork 'n beans
That's gonna justify your soul
Just don't try to lay no boogie woogie
On the king of rock and roll

Don't try to lay no boogie woogie
On the king of rock and roll

You weren't alive
When I started to drive
So don't put none on me
You didn't arrive til late '45
But your head's in '53

You got what it takes
To keep the heads a spinnin'
Down by the old rib shack
But you come on just
Like a fool grinnin'
In the back of a red Cadillac

You can't come across
The Astro bridge
Until you pay the toll
So don't try to lay no boogie woogie
On the king of rock and roll