[Intro]
What we're gonna do right here is go back
Way back, back into time

Yeah, yeah-yeah

{Premier scratching}
(Donny Hathaway, Leena Horne)
(Miss Aretha, (The Real Thing) James Brown, Billie Holiday)
(Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Louis Armstrong)
(Minnie Riperton, Otis Redding, Etta James)

[Verse One: Christina Aguilera]
Back in the day, they used to say
Play that song, get it going, and the band played
And still today, you hear us say
Play that song all night long, Mr. DJ
Though times have changed
It's still the same
We all need a minute to get away
So let it go and feel the flow
If you've got soul, let the world know
We're gonna set the mood (set the mood off right)
Gonna go back to an old school groove (go back to an old school groove)
Gonna rewind to another time
When the originators, innovators were alive, yeah

[Hook]
Here we say now
So break out the Marvin Gaye and Etta James
Your Lady Day, and Coltrane
Turn up your 45's, bring back to life
The sound and vibe of yesterday
Open your mind, enjoy the ride
Live out tonight and grab that Soul Train
Take it back, take it
Back in the day, back in the day
Oh baby
Back in the day, back in the day
Won't you take me back?
Back in the day, back in the day
I'll do it
Back in the day, back in the day

Oh yeah

[DJ Premier talking]
Y'all remember back in the day, you dig
Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald

[Verse Two: Christina Aguilera]
Yeah
Now "Chain Of Fools" and "Respect"
Was the anthem of a woman, Aretha said
"What's Going On", "Let's Get It On"
Such classic songs, don't forget them
Though times have changed
They still remain my inspiration everyday
So give it up for the ones
Who came before, opened up that door
We're gonna set the mood
(we're gonna) (set the mood)
Gonna go back to an old school groove
(go back) (to an old school groove)
Gonna rewind to another time
(Rewind) (another time)
When the originators, innovators were alive

[Verse Three: Termanology]
Way back when Five Heartbeats were doing a sig
Go and see James Brown he was doing the split
Mama, my mama ma-made love to Al Greene
Everybody puffing lye no need for Visine
In a broke Hundai on Soul Sunday
They was cruising along to the Nina Simone
Had a little Ray Charles and Louis Armstrong
Wild as Rick James he was in his own zone
It was known, Bob Marley was made for the rastas
While most of the mobsters were banging Sinatra
Even high class people like lawyers and doctors
Had they eyes with haze to the Isaac Hayes
I bang Jimi Hendrix out of the Jeep
While Premier's on the MP banging a beat
I've been in love with Christina since the minute that I seen her
No one meaner with the vocal baby she a real singer
Let's go!

[Hook]

[Verse Four: Christina Aguilera]
So get up, re-live it
Gotta let yourself flow
Give up your praise
Come celebrate
Just get up, get on it
Get yourself on the floor
Don't back away (don't back away)
Come celebrate (gonna celebrate, yeah)

[Hook]

[Outro]
Taking' back in the day, day
Back in the day, back in the day
Back in the day, back in the day
Back in the day, back in the day
Back in the day, back in the day

Oh baby, I'll do it
Oh baby, ohh yeah yeah woah woah yeah