Stephen Flaherty
Southside Celebrity
[Ensemble]
I used to think, that could've never happened here
And every year was another zero
But now, I'm taking pride that the South Side
Has had a bonafide hero

Have we overlooked him?
Why, on our own scene here
We got our very own first-class, ass-kickin', up-and-coming South Side celebrity

Twenty-four hours from now
Ring that new year in
With the joyous sounds of fifteen rounds
And we're betting on our man to win

We all been brought up and taught up in the South Side
And no one hеre's ever brokеn free
Until this overgrown, unknown
Breaks through and turns into a South Side celebrity

Yeah, South Side celebrity

[Apollo]
They got Apollo caps and wind-up toys
You diggin' it?
[Ensemble]
We're digging it

[Apollo]
And selling bumper stickers to the hometown boys
Are you digging it?

[Ensemble]
Digging it

[Apollo]
They're buying into the story, like I knew they would

[Ensemble]
White-knuckled underdog makes good

[Apollo]
Look, how it makes a neighborhood
Patriotic!

[Gazzo, spoken]
Yo, Rock!

[Rocky, spoken]
Oh hey, Mr. Gazzo
[Gazzo]
I ain't seen you around
I hear you been busy
I hear you been doin' real good

[Thug]
Hey, I always told you that you would!

[Gazzo]
Now this here's a gift

[Thug]
It's a gift, not a loan

[Gazzo]
And after the fight, when your prize money's blown
I'll take you back when you go back to being unknown

[Thug]
Right after you lose

[Apollo]
Wrap it in a flag, make the people scream
Someone will be getting the American dream!
Mr. down-and-out versus Mr. Slick
It's gonna be (it's gonna be)
Patriotic (patriotic)
[Rocky]
They keep seeing someone that they wanna see (South Side celebrity)
And pinning every little hope on me (twenty-four hours from now)
Yeah, they tell themselves, I gotta shot (one of us)
They're betting on someone that I'm scared I'm not
They're looking for heroes and I'm all they got

[Apollo]
Gonna fight me a local underdog now
A snow-white local underdog
I'm gonna play this part, gotta do what I gotta do (do what I gotta do)

[Apollo and Rocky]
But where's that game I used to know?
Two equals going toe to toe
Now it's one big show they wanna see!

[Apollo]
So there's gonna be (there's gonna be)

[Apollo and Rocky]
There's gonna be
A South Side celebrity

[Rocky]
Celebrity...