Thank You, Jesse (And Dad) Lyrics

From Monday to Friday, he was a railroad man

But come Friday night, it was time for the band

I'm talkin' Red Tops, and Jesse on guitar

He made that Telecaster sing and the band begin to swing

Oh, when he played around the beat, man, it sounded so sweet

Thank you, Jesse

He'd shine on "Sleepwalk" and "Hello, Is That You?"

And "Swanee River Rock" made the crowd begin to groove

And it really was a hit when Jesse played his licks

Oh, that Telecaster rocked and rolled, and the crowd felt it in their soul

When he played around the beat, man it sounded so sweet

Thank you, Jesse

One day came a fan, said his son is in a band

He said Jesse, "He can play, but he needs to learn guitar your way"

"Come on, Jesse, please make him 'Shake, Rattle & Roll'"

"Make him 'Sleepwalk,' I know he'll do what he's told!"

If he could play around the beat, man it, would sound so sweet

Thank you, Jesse

So, the boy starts to play and Jesse starts to smile

And says, "That sounds okay, but let's go the extra mile."

"You see, music is a feel. That's what makes the notes so real."

A little fast, a little slow, that's what makes the music flow."

"You have to play off the beat cause it sure sounds sweet."

Thank you, Jesse

He taught the boy the big chords up and down the neck

But Jesse waved off his smile and said, "I ain't done with you yet"

"You see, the left hand's got the chord, but the right hand has the soul."

"And when you get the feel of music, then you really got control."

"You have to play off the beat cause it sure sounds sweet."

Thank you, Jesse

So, he played a little fast and then a little slow

And the music came alive and really began to flow

Cause he listened and learned, to think about the beat

And he started to make the guitar sound so sweet

You have to play off the beat cause it sure sounds swee.

Thank you, Jesse

Jesse and the boy made music, and made each other smile

But like a baby bird in the nest, it was time to fly into the wild

Cause he'd learned to "Sleepwalk" and then to "Shake, Rattle & Roll."

And Jesse and his father were pleased, cause he was doin' what he's told

So now I play off the beat cause it sure sounds sweet

Thank you, Jesse

Thank you, Dad