Down in Kansas City someone wrote a pretty ditty,

a melody for all the world to know.

Full of clingy swingy, singy harmony that clung to me from the start it never let me go.

Soothing to the weary ear,

a remedy for ev’ry tear,

quick to put some ginger in your feet.

Some treat, sweet heat,

that’s the tune that they call “12th Street.”

Joy to each romancer and delight of ev’ry dancer and lucky to the leader of a band.

In a ballroom or a show and over any radio,

bet your boots that it will get a hand.

You can brag,

it’s in the bag when they play that “12th Street Rag.”

Oh! “12th Street Rag,” have pity, won’t you let me be?

Go back to Kansas City and stop trailing me.

You barge in at the moment when I’ve work to do.

I can’t shake you.

You won’t leave and I can’t make you.

Ole music man who wrote you knew no sympathy.

I hope you get his goat, too,

like you worry me.

I’m swing bent my brain is ‘sent’ on a jag when I hear that “12th Street Rag.”

 

在堪薩斯城，有人寫了一個漂亮的小曲，

讓全世界都知道的旋律。

充滿了黏人的搖擺，單調的和諧，從一開始就緊緊抓住我，它永遠不會讓我離開。

舒緩疲憊的耳朵，

每一滴眼淚的補救措施，

快點把一些生薑放在你的腳下。

一些治療，新鮮的熱能，

這就是他們稱之為「紐約第十二街」的曲調。

每一位浪漫主義者和每位舞者感到快樂，並幸運地成為樂隊的領導者。

在舞廳或演出，以及任何收音機，

打賭你的靴子有自主權。

你可以吹噓，

當他們演奏「紐約第十二街」時，它就生活在裡頭。

哦！「紐約第十二街」，可惜，難道你不讓我成為那樣子？

回到堪薩斯城，停止追踪我。

你在我工作的那一刻闖入。

我不能動搖你。

你不會離開，我不能讓你這樣做。

創作你的老音樂人不知道同情。

我希望你激怒他，

就像你擔心我。

當我聽到「紐約第十二街」時，我搖擺不定，我的大腦無法擺脫。