Get a load of that guy

With the dew rag on


And the cowboy tie


Man that cat is gone




Form Memphis to Nashville


Then way out west

Put that Hollywood party


To the acid test




Got a little bungalow


In the valley somewhere


Took a gig playing bass

With Sonny and Cher


He took it on his chin


And never got it off his chest

He wouldn't be caught dead wearing that vest





Not rock back Billy

Rock back Billy





He came to make a stew

With that swamp guitar


He kept it lonesome and blue


Yeah, in the trunk of his car




But no one gave him a long shot


Though he never did doubt

What it was not


Or what it was all about




He got all tangled up with liquor and drugs


Trying to make a racket


Like those English mugs




Till he couldn't get arrested


And he couldn't see straight

He couldn't even shine shoes


In that Golden State




Not rock back Billy

Come on rock back Billy




When you see him on the street

Well, he's no spring chicken


But ask him how he makes ends meet

He'll tell you, "I'm still pickin'"




Aw, rock it, Billy, rock it



Yeah they counted him down


When they dropped that beat

But that red hot sound

They could not defeat




It started coming back from Boston

From East L.A.

Down in Austin, Texas


And up New York way



And as long as there's a kid


In a room somewhere

With a beat up guitar

And some funny looking hair

Well, it might be Billy's kid


You don't know

And all I've got to say is

Go, cat, go




Come on rock back Billy

Come on rock back Billy

Rock back Billy