Black Denim Trousers
The Cheers 
Words and Music by Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller



Chart 

Debut 
  
Weeks

# 

Label
 
  

Oct 1955

 

6

Capital
    


He wore black denim trousers and 
motorcycle boots
And a black leather jacket with an 
eagle on the back
He had a hopped-up 'cycle that took 
off like a gun
That fool was the terror of Highway 101

Well, he never washed his face and 
he never combed his hair
He had axle grease embedded underneath 
his fingernails
On the muscle of his arm was a red tattoo
A picture of a heart saying "Mother, 
I love you"

He had a pretty girlfriend by the 
name of Mary Lou
But he treated her just like he 
treated all the rest
And everybody pitied her 'cause 
everybody knew
He loved that doggone motorcycle best

He wore black denim trousers and 
motorcycle boots
And a black leather jacket with an 
eagle on the back
He had a hopped-up 'cycle that took 
off like a gun
That fool was the terror of Highway 101

	brief instrumental interlude

Mary Lou, poor girl, she pleaded and 
she begged him not to leave
She said "I've got a feeling if you 
ride tonight I'll grieve"
But her tears were shed in vain and 
her every word was lost
In the rumble of his engine and the 
smoke from his exhaust

Then he took off like the Devil and 
there was fire in his eyes!!  
He said "I'll go a thousand miles 
before the sun can rise"  
But he hit a screamin' diesel that 
was California-bound
And when they cleared the wreckage, 
all they found

Was his black denim trousers and 
motorcycle boots
And a black leather jacket with an 
eagle on the back
But they couldn't find the 'cycle 
\that took off like a gun
And they never found the terror of 
Highway 101