Don't you know that I was sittin' back in Texas
I was playin' those rhythm and blues
And then I got a big offer
For more money than I could refuse

I had my chance to make it
Playin' anythin' I wanted to play
But way back in my mind
You know I could hear the people say

Keep playin' that rock 'n' roll
Keep doin' what you been told
Save your money up for when you get old
Got to keep playin' that rock 'n' roll

So I packed up and I made it up to New York
Where my brother was a great big star
He was doin' funky music, yeah
Singin' and playin' guitar

Johnny was makin' the big time
Everything was goin' his way
But way back in my mind
You know I could hear the people say

Keep playin' that rock 'n' roll
Keep doin' what you been told
Save your money up for when you get old
Got to keep playin' that rock 'n' roll

Don't you know that I've been doin' lots of thinkin'
I've been tryin' hard to figure it out
But there's a certain kind of music, yeah
Got to make you jump and shout

Now you could call it commercial
If you wanna see it that way
But way back in my mind
You know I could hear the people say

Keep playin' that rock 'n' roll
Keep doin' what you been told
Save your money up for when you get old
Got to keep playin' that rock 'n' roll

Oh, you got to keep on playin'
(You got to keep on playin')
Oh, you got to keep on playin'
(Oh, keep on playin')

Oh, you got to keep on playin'
(You got to keep on playin')
Got to keep playin' that rock 'n' roll

Keep playin' that rock 'n' roll
Keep doin' what you been told
Save your money up for when you get old
Got to keep playin' that rock 'n' roll
Rock 'n' roll, rock 'n' roll to satisfy my soul