Well nashville had country music but memphis had the soul
lord, the white boy had the rhythm and that started rock and roll
and i was here when it happened don�t you all think i ought to know
i was here when it happened, yeah, yeah, yeah
i watched memphis give birth to rock and roll, lord, lord yeah.
Well the cat named elvis be-bopped in to sun right off the street
sang ��blue moon�� of oky but he did it with a brand new beat
guess he sought him a sleeping world and out there by surprise
jack ��em up, you rang them out and he� hung ��em out to dry
i was there when it happened, don�t you all think i ought to know, lord, lord
yeah i was here when it happened i watched memphis give birth to rock and roll
here�s kinda the way it happened
Well the drummer boy was the beatin� on the drums a rockin� and a goin� wild
the real city slicker was clickin� and clackin� and doin� it in a different style
hit car strumming a beat and a pumpin� and the lead man picking out the blues
hip-shaking singer was a swinging and a swinging saying some style blue suede shoes
and i was here when it happened, lord i think i ought to know, yeah, yeah
folks i was here when it happened i watched memphis give birth to rock and roll
what you think about it little guitar c�mon son
Some folks called it the devils music others said it wouldn�t last long
31 years since we started shakin� proves somebody was wrong
the 64�s, the beatles and the four were rock and roll�s best friends
the beatles and the stones brought the old beat home
and world went crazy again i was here when it happened
my friend i think i ought to know, yeah , yeah
well i was there when it happened
i watched memphis give birth to rock and roll
lord yeah, c�mon