Johnson I went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees. I went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees. Asked the Lord above for mercy, Save me if you please. I went down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride. I went down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride. Nobody seemed to know me, everybody passed me by. I'm going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side. I'm going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side. You can still barrelhouse, baby, on the riverside. You can run, you can run, tell my friend-poor Willie Brown. You can run, you can run, tell my friend-poor Willie Brown. And I'm standing at the crossroads, believe I'm sinking down.

Tell you 'bout this friend of mine that you don't know He lives way up a road that's lost in time. Don't know his name, or where he's coming from, Only thing you know, he's a real gone cat, This friend of mine. He don't have no uptown friends, or drive a Cadillac, But he's got cool threads and a beat up car. All his downtown friends like me ride around in the back 'Cause he's a real cool cat, yeah he's a real cool cat, This friend of mine. La Loma boys will run with you, Do anything that you want them to, If you need a friend 'cause you're feeling blue Palo Verde girls never let you down. Na na na na na, living in a poor man's Shangri-La. Firme guys in their firme cars, Underneath the moon and stars. The city lights way down below. What's that sound? What's that light Streaking down through the night? What's it mean? It's a red cloud over Chávez Ravine. Oralé, UFO, come gliding low. Se cayó up Chávez Road. Space Vato, square cat. Say, "Caramba, partners, where's the party at?" I heard about the cool jerk, and the alligator, Tokay wine, Mary Jane, and Lil' Julian Herrera. Iwant to learn to dance, make romance. These La Bishop girls might take a chance. My friend says, "No, be cool, bro. If you want to dance slow, Learn to ask a mi hermana con respeto." UFO got a radio. Lil' Julian singing soft and low. Los Angeles down below. DJ says, we got to go. To El Monte, El Monte, pa El Monte. Na na na na na, living in a poor man's Shangri-La.