Well my Mama said, hey son, what are you gonna do
It’s time you started bringing in some money, too.
Well, I’m really kinda lazy and I’m not very bright
Being a rock and roll star is what would suit me right

So I got some kids together in the family room
We had bass, guitar, drums and rock and roll bassoon
But we didn’t get too far until one day a kid
Introduced me to a cigar smoking guy named Sid.

And Sid said, “Boys, I’ve been in the business a long time,
Anyone worth knowing, you can bet that I know.
A lot of people try in a lot of different ways
But there’s just one way to get to where you want to go.

I don’t care if Rolling Stone gives you a rave review
You don’t need your name in lights on Sunset Avenue
We don’t need a full page ad in Billboard Magazine
I don’t care if Time says that you’re the new Springsteen
I don’t care if kids on Bandstand rate you 93
But we gotta get a video on MTV.

Well, I really dug the concept, yeah, it hit a nerve
And in the Yellow Pages was this guy named Irv
Who was listed under motion pictures, man alive,
Here was a video producer working nine to five.

So I rung him up and briefly outlined the plan
He was silent for a second then he screamed, “I hear you man!”
We’ll do it up with smoke and video slo-mo
The world is gonna flip when the see this promo.

He says, “Now wait a minute, son, let me calculate the price
Something like that… yeah! That looks nice
A rock and roll star won’t have to worry how to pay
And with me by your side, son, you’re on your way!

I don’t care if Rolling Stone gives you a rave review
You don’t need your name in lights on Sunset Avenue
We don’t need a full page ad in Billboard Magazine
I don’t care if Time says that you’re the new Springsteen
I don’t care if kids on Bandstand rate you 93
But we gotta get a video on MTV.

So now I’ve got a video and, wow, it’s great
To keep the budget low, we shot it Super-8
Posted it on half-inch Sony Betamax
With Dolby-C encoded stereophonic tracks.

Well, meanwhile, you see, I’m kinda low on work
And I had to take a job as a drug store clerk
I’m a hundred-thou in debt, but it’s worth every dime
‘Cause Sid and Irv say now it’s just a matter of time.

So, throw that sucker under the Rank-Cintel
Another thousand bucks, hey, what the hell
To a rock and roll star, money’s just like beans
And my face is gonna be on that shiny little screen.

I don’t care if Rolling Stone gives you a rave review
You don’t need your name in lights on Sunset Avenue
We don’t need a full page ad in Billboard Magazine
I don’t care if Time says that you’re the new Springsteen
I don’t care if kids on Bandstand rate you 93
But we gotta get a video on MTV.

I gotta get a video,
I gotta get a video,
I gotta get a video on MTV