Life ain't nothing but a blending up of all the ups and downs
Damnit Elvis, don't you know
You made your mama so proud
Before you ever made that record, before there ever was a sun
Before you ever lost that Cadillac
That Carl Perkins won

Mr. Phillips found old Johnny Cash and he was high
High before he ever took those pills
And he's still too proud to die
Mr. Phillips never said anything behind nobody's back
Like "Damnit Elvis, don't he know
He ain't no Johnny Cash"

If Mr. Phillips was the only man that Jerry Lee still would call sir
Then I guess Mr. Phillips did all of y'all about as good as you deserve
He did just what he said he's gonna do and the money came in sacks
New contracts and Carl Perkins' Cadillac

I got friends in Nashville or at least they're folks I know
Nashville's where you go
To see if what is said is so
Carl drove his brand-new Cadillac to Nashville and he went downtown
This time they promised him a Grammy
He turned his Cadillac around
'Cause Mr. Phillips never blew enough hot air to need a little gold-plated paperweight
He promised him a Cadillac and put the wind in Carl's face
He did just what he said he's gonna do and the money came in sacks
New contracts and Carl Perkins' Cadillac

Damnit Elvis, I swear, son, I think it's time you came around
Making money you can't spend
Ain't what being dead's about
You gave me all but one good reason not to do all of the things you did
Now Cadillacs are fiberglass
If you were me, you'd call it quits

If Mr. Phillips was the only man that Jerry Lee still would call sir
Then I guess Mr. Phillips did all of y'all about as good as you deserve
He did just what he said he's gonna do, and the money came in sacks
New contracts and Carl Perkins' Cadillac
Carl Perkins' Cadillac