He wears a zoot suit with a reet pleat
Drives a '36 Cord with a rumble seat
Now he's a Lord, he's a jitterbug
Scare the letters off a highway sign

He drinks beer and eats beanies
Chases it down with ol' Thunderbird wine
Carries brass knuckles and a .44
Runs a loan shark business and a Mary Jane store

He's a... he's a jitterbug; keeps movin', don't sit still
If the law don't get him, some gun-totin' irate husband will
Oh, oh, oh, ooh, ooh, ooh jitterbug, jitterbug

One day in September he stepped out of his Cord
Into the street to face a bullet spittin' Ford
Now he's jitterbug, just a name in the news
Said, "He finally paid the price. He finally paid his dues."

Jitterbug, jitterbug, jitterbug, jitterbug
Jitterbug, jitterbug, jitterbug, jitterbug