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Elvis Imitators

by Steve Goodman, Michael Smith

from the album Bars

Lyrics

Spoken –
Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen
I’d like to do this next song especially for you and for the king

Well….I walk up to the mike
and and then I shake my hips
I take a deep breath and put a snare on my lips
See me on the street you wouldn’t know my name
But imitating Elvis is my claim to fame
So when you put my imitation name in lights
There’ll be imitation good rockin’ tonight

Cuz I’m an an Elvis imitator and I just can’t stop
Imitating Elvis from the bottom to the top
Imitate the way he talked, the way he smiled
I throw away my scarf and make the crowd go wild
This imitation Elvis may not be the king
But baby I’m the next best thing

Singing Viva Las Vegas and the G.I. Blues
Won’t you love me tender in my blue suede shoes
Well let me be your teddy bear, if you must
Oh baby please surrender, ’cause I need your touch
Well if you feelin’ lonely, need a place to dwell
Come on down to imitation heartbreak hotel

We’re gonna rock (rock rock rock)
Ooooh we’re gonna rock (rock rock rock)
Ooooh we’re gonna rock (rock rock rock)
Ooooh we’re gonna rock (rock rock rock)

Yeah my gold lamee cape and my sequined suit
Pompadou haircut and my high-heeled boots
Imitating elvis is the only way
I can make it through my imitation day
I know this rocking music can’t be denied
Cause I was imitating him before he died

Well I’m an an Elvis imitator and I just can’t stop
Imitating elvis from the bottom to the top
I imitate the way he walked, the way he smiled
I throw away my scarf and make the crowd go wild
This imitation elvis may not be the king
But baby I’m the next best thing

Yeah rock (rock rock rock)
Ooooh we’re gonna rock (rock rock rock)
Ooooh we’re gonna rock (rock rock rock)
Ooooh we’re gonna rock (rock rock rock)

Well baby, it’s the next, best thing

Spoken –
Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen
Viva las vegas
Viva las vegas

Jimmy’s Note:

This song was written my Steve Goodman and John Prine. Elvis is still dead or alive, and this song has remained locked away in the vaults of Margaritaville Records for years now, just waiting for the perfect time to be sprung on an unsuspecting public. So against a lot of people’s better judgement, I broke it out. So far I have not heard from Elvis, so I don’t know if he likes it or not-but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s seen at one of our shows this summer.