Billy was born in a one room shack
On the Tennessee line by the railroad track
Caught a bad fever and he went blind
And his daddy ran off about the same time

His mama didn't know what to do with the boy
So she gave him daddy's old guitar as a toy
Billy used to sit on the front porch swing
Pulling off licks and bending those strings

Playing to the rhythm of the south band train
Notes flying off his fingers like a hurricane
Couldn't see nothing, never said a word
But he could sure imitate anything he heard

He could rock, he could roll
(Rock, rock, rock, rock-a-billy)
Cry blues with soul
(Rock, rock, rock, rock-a-billy)

Never went to school one single day
But oh that boy could play
He could rock, rock, rock, rock-a-billy

One day a man came to Billy's town
To hear that boy and his guitar sound
He said, 'Son, you should be a star'

Now Billy's riding around in a big long car
Making more money than he'll ever spend
'Cause he still has what he had back then

He could rock, he could roll
(Rock, rock, rock, rock-a-billy)
Cry blues, with soul
(Rock, rock, rock, rock-a-billy)

Never went to school one single day
But, oh, that boy could play
He could rock, rock, rock, rock-a-billy
He could rock, rock, rock, rock-a-billy