[Vocals: Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, both]
Up here in the land of the hot-dog stand
The atom bomb and the Good Humor Man
We think our South American neighbors are grand
We love 'em to beat the band
South America, babaloo, babaloo, ay-ee-eh, babaloo
One favor you can do, ay-ee-eh, you can do
You beautiful lands below
Don't know what you began
To put it plainly, I'm tired of shakin'
To that Pan American plan
Take back your Samba, ay, your Rumba, ay, your Conga (ay-yi-yi)
I can't keep movin', ay, my chassis, ay, any longer (ay-yi-yi)
Now maybe Latins, ay, in their middles, ay
Are built stronger, ay-yi-yi
But all this takin' to the quakin'
And this makin' with the shakin' leaves me achin', olé
First shake around and settle there
Then you shake around and settle here
Then you shake around and settle there
That's enough, that's enough, take it back
My spine's outta whack
There's a strange click-clack
In the back of my sacroiliac
Take back your Conga, ay, your Samba, ay, your Rumba, ay-yi-yi
Why can't you send us, ay, a less strenu-(ay)-ous number? Ay-yi-yi
I got more bumps now, ay, than on a, ay, cucumber, ay-yi-yi
While all those Latin drums are cloppin'
Like a Jumpin' Jack I'm hoppin' without stoppin', olé
South America, take it away
First you shake around and settle there (where?)
And then you shake around and settle here (oh, there)
And then you shake around and settle there (why, Bing?)
That's enough, that's enough, take it back
My spine's outta whack
There's a strange click-clack
In the back of my sacroiliac, oh, my achin' back
Take back your Conga, ay, your Samba, ay, your Rumba, ay-yi-yi
Bring back the old days, ay, of dancin' I remember, ay-yi-yi
My hips are crackin', I am shriekin', ay carumba, ay-yi-yi
I got a wriggle and a diddle and a jiggle
Like a fiddle in my middle, olé
This fancy swishin' imposition wears out
All of my transmission ammunition, olé
Though I like neighborly relations
All these crazy new gyrations try my patience, olé
South America, take it away