Hangin' down at the crossroads, trying to get a deal
having ourselves a good time, rowing down the feel
the night was growing late and the crowd began to thin
and out of the woodworks came four evil men.

In Memphis,
Memphis, Tennessee
that's where they took out Johnnie,
and knocked his ass off his feet

they didn't even get no money,
in Tennessee,
Tennessee,
in Tennessee,
in Tennessee.

there's blood on Johnnie's pillow and his lip begins to swell
the south don't treat us kindly, so let's get the hell
out of Memphis,
Memphis, Tennessee

Well, I've got nothing against Elvis,
you know he is The King
But we swore we saw him watching us,
and he didn't do a thing

in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee

I thought he knew karate,
and still it didn't do a thing
in Tennessee,
in Tennessee,
in Tennessee,