Don't Try to Lay No Boogie Woogie on the King of Rock and Roll - (Long) John Baldry/The Crow

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

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, uh, 

Not really any kind of scene in, uh, London.
I used to go out and play my guitar in the streets 

And sing things with a passin' the hat down, uh , bars and a hat down.
I remember one particular night, 

I was, uh, playing the guitar in a little alley way
Just off of Wardour street in Soho and, uh, 

I got busted by the police.
This policeman came 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, uh, it was quite a day, police officer giving his evidence:

"I was proceeding in a Southerly direction, milord,

 hen I heard, uh, strange sounds voming from the Wardour place, milord, 

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, uh, 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, uh, fuss was about, so then I arrested the uh, defendant"

"Uh, just one moment, officer, what is this boogie woogie music here we're talking about"
"Oh, well, milord", said the officer, 

Getting out his notebook, obviously been up doing his homework,
"It's a kind of jazz rhythm music peculiar to the American negro"

"Oh, what was the defendant doing, uh, playing this kind of music there in Walldor street"

Anyway, I got off with a caution, a year's conditional discharge, 

But I'll always remember that policeman and his boogie woogie,
So don't try to lay no boogie woogie on the king of rock and roll.

Don't you tell me no lies, woman, 'cause all you know I've told
Don't sell me no alibi, sister, 'cause all you've got I've sold
You better leave that midnight sneakin' to the one who worked it out

I don't wanna hear no back talk speakin' go on and shut yer mouth
And everything's gonna work out tight if you act like you been told
So don't try to lay no boogie woogie on the king of rock and roll.

Don't you feed me no TV dinners when you know I'm used to steak
I don't need no rank beginners when it's time to shake that shake
You better pull your thing together, reach in and dust it out
And if ya feel that you just can't dig it, then I guess you know the route
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 rim shack
And you come across just like a fool grinnin' in the back of a red Cadillac.
You can't come across Astral Bridge until you pay the toll
So don't try to lay no boogie woogie on the king of rock and roll.