A long long time ago I can still remember How that music used to make me smile And I knew if I had my chance That I could make those people dance And maybe they'd be happy for a while
Did you write the book of love And do you have faith in God above If the Bible tells you so? Now do you believe in rock and roll? And Can music save your mortal soul? And can you teach me how to dance real slow?
Well, I know that you're in love with him 'cause I saw you dancing in the gym You both kicked off your shoes Man, I dig those rhythm and blues I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck With a pink carnation and a pickup truck But I knew I was out of luck The day the music died I started singing(*)
Now, for ten years we've been on our own And moss grows fat on a rolling stone But that's not how it used to be When the jester sang for the king and queen
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean And a voice that came from you and me Oh and while the king was looking down The jester stole his thorny crown The courtroom was adjourned No verdict was returned And while Lenin read a book on Marx The quartet practiced in the park And we sang dirges in the dark The day the music died We were singing(*)
I met a girl who sang the blues And I asked her for some happy news But she just smiled and turned away I went down to the sacred store Where I'd heard the music years before But the man there said the music wouldn't play And in the streets the children screamed The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed But not a word was spoken The church bells all were broken And the three men I admire most the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost They caught the last train for the coast The day the music died And they were singing(*)