Perhaps it was something that hit me, perhaps it was something I ate,
But out of the blue I dreamed I met you and you said to me, "Hi, ya Gate!"
Millions have heard you play Chopin, the critics applaud and approve,
But millions more would simply adore to hear you get in the groove

You won't believe it, you'll think it's a dream
To hear them riffing it, right on the beam,
But when you hear trumpets give out a call, you'll know
The Joint Is Really Jumpin' down at Carnegie Hall

Instead of Strauss they play Irving Berlin,
Instead of Brahms it's "Begin the Begin"
Those classic ackies are due for a fall since
The Joint Is Really Jumpin' down at Carnegie Hall

They're playing
Ta-tlee-a-ti, Ta-tlee-a-ti, with Shostakovich,
Ta-tlee-a-ti, Ta-tlee-a-ti, Mozart and Bach,
Ta-tlee-a-ti, Ta-tlee-a-ti, and they don't know which,
'Cause anything can happen when they start to rock

The philharmonic was so dignified
But now they're groovy and starting to ride,
Handel and Haydn are facing the wall
'cause The Joint Is Really Jumpin' down in Carnegie Hall

They-hey swing ev'rything with a ding dong
And when the Maestro gives them a beat, it's a
Reet Beat that starts 'em to toot with a
Root Toot that's a bit of alright,
And even Jose Iturbi getting hep, he's hep, he's hep
Boy!

Tschai-Tschai-Tschai-kovsky would really be hurt
To hear 'em jivin' his Piano Concert,
Beethoven's lucky, he can't hear at all
Because the Joint Is Really Jumpin' down at Carnegie Hall