We heard Richard Nixon say: “Welcome to the USA” / The common sense I sometimes lack / Has opened up a seismic crack / We’ve fallen in and I can’t pull back / And I guess we’ll have to stay

In open arms we put our trust / They put us on a big red bus / Twin spirits soaking up a dream / Fuel to feed the press machine / After years that were long and lean / We’re finally on our way

And Richard Nixon’s on his knees he’s sent so many overseas / He’d like to know if you and me could help him in some way / A little camouflage and glue to mask the evil that men do / A small diversion caused by two / Pale kids come to play / And we heard Richard Nixon say: “Welcome to the USA”

Neither of us understood the way things ticked in Hollywood / We just loaded in and grabbed the bat / With little room to swing a cat / And pretty soon we were where it’s at / Or so the papers say

And all around us suntanned teens, beauty like we’d never seen / Our heroes led us by the hand / Through Brian Wilson’s promised land / Where Disney’s God and he commands / Both mice and men to stay

And Richard Nixon’s on his knees he’s sent so many overseas / He’d like to know if you and me could help him in some way / A little camouflage and glue to mask the evil that men do / A small diversion caused by two / Pale kids come to play / And we heard Richard Nixon say: “Welcome to the USA”

In a bright red Porsche on Sunset I saw Steve McQueen / I guess he’s just about the coolest guy I’ve ever seen / And for you and me that speeding car is how it’s going to be / I see no brakes just open road and lots of gasoline

Oh we heard Richard Nixon say: “Welcome to the USA” / The common sense I sometimes lack / Has opened up a seismic crack / We’ve fallen in and I can’t pull back / Pale kids come to play / And we heard Richard Nixon say: “I’ve gotta go but you can stay” / Pale kids come to play / And we heard Richard Nixon say: “I’ve gotta go but you can stay”

[By Bernie Taupin – Elton John © Universal Music Publishing Group, 2006]