Patriotic Lyrics

(By Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty)

Now here's what's goin' down
Gonna say it just one time.
On January first, nineteen seventy six
I'm gonna fight me a local underdog, dig?
A snow white, local, underdog!
I'm gonna put his face on this poster with me right here!

Cause I'm sentimental and the people are sentimental.
And an underdog deserves his shot
In this Bicentennial Year!

(The lyrics start here on the sound track)
(spoken) Listen up people. Apollo is having a vision.

I see a lifesize Lady Liberty.
You diggin' it?
(Others) We're diggin' it.
I see an Uncle Sam and he's black like me.
Are you diggin' it?
(Jergens - spoken) I'm digging it?
We find a white local fighter and I'll be all his.
If that ain't American, what is?!
Red, white and blue and do'in' biz!
Patriotic!

I see Apollo shirts 'n' baseball caps
You diggin' it?
(Others) We're diggin' it.
(Apollo) And there'll be bumper stickers for the hometown saps. Are you diggin' it?
(Others) Diggin' it!
I see star-spangled banners and my girls in tights!
Sequins 'n' fireworks 'n' hot lights.
A first in the history of fights.
Patriotic.

This fight should o' put me right up with the best:
Joe Louis and Frazier and all o' the rest.
I ain't getting younger.
Ain't got the time to fight some bum who's past his prime.
But we got the venue.
(Manager) We got the bout.
(Others) And your damned opponent is chickenin' out
(Others) Fight is on no matter what.
(Apollo) Now who in the hell in Philly do we got?

(Manager) Billy Snow? (Apollo) Rhymes with no!
Big Chuck Krull? (Manager) Too old, too dull.
(Jergens) Dipper Riley's ideal. (Apollo - spoken) Dipper? Get real!
But here we got a name with some poster appeal:
(spoken) "The Italian Stallion!"�
(All) Wrap it in a flag! Make the people scream!
(All) Someone'll be gettin' the American dream!
(Apollo) Mister Down-and-out versus Mister Slick!
(All) It's gonna be patriotic!
(Apollo) I didn't get where I got to by being dumb.
(All) Rocky Balboa,
(Apollo) here I come! That's patriotic,
(Others) Patriotic,
(Apollo) What you gotta do Patriotic,
(Others) Patriotic,
(All) Patriotic, Uh-huh!

(Apollo - spoken) Apollo Creed meets The Italian Stallion
Shit, sounds like a damn monster movie.