I Want My MTV

August first nineteen eighty one
Man landed on the moon at 12:01
Ladies and Gentlemen, rock ‘n’ roll
The eighties were gonna be radical
Video Killed the Radio Star
First video, next came Pat Benatar
Videos played twenty-four-seven
On MTV, music television

I want my MTV, I want it back to the way it used to be
I want my MTV, I want it back to the way it used to be

In the beginning there were five VJs
And music videos was all they played
Prince, Van Halen, and Huey Lewis
Journey live from Houston, Texas
Run DMC joined by Aerosmith
For the first time ever, no makeup KISS
The 80s stars sang, “We Are the World”
On Saturday night was Headbangers Ball

I want my MTV, I want it back to the way it used to be
Bruce, MJ, and Cyndi Lauper
No videos made by Metallica
I want my MTV, like it was before Carson Daly
Before The Real World launched reality TV
And anyone had heard of Puff Daddy

I sit on the couch with my remote control
Scouring the channels for rock ‘n roll
I wish I could go back to ‘83
And watch music videos on MTV

I wonder where the world would be
If there never was a channel called MTV
Without music playing on television
“Thriller” wouldn’t have sold over twenty million
Rap music would have stayed inner city
Glam bands wouldn’t have all looked so pretty
You may have never heard of Madonna
Or seen the birth of grunge with Nirvana

I want my MTV, I want it back to the way it used to be
New wave, heavy metal, rap, hard rock
I wouldn’t even mind a little pop
I want my MTV, like it was before Laguna Beach
Before The Situation on Jersey Shore
When MTV became a total bore