One night long ago by the light of the moon   An old music master sat composing a tune   His spirit was soaring and his heart full of joy   When right out of nowhere stepped   A little colored boy      You gotta jump it, music master   You gotta play that rhythm faster   You're never gonna get it played   On the Happy Cat Hit Parade      You better tell your friend Beethoven   And Mister Reginald De Koven   They better do the same as you   Or they're gonna be corny too      Long about 1917   Jazz'll come upon the scene   Then about 1935   You'll begin to hear swing   Boogie woogie and jive      You gotta show that big broadcaster   That you're a solid music master   And you'll achieve posterity   That's a bit of advice from me      The old music master   Simply sat there amazed   As wide-eyed and open-mouthed   He gazed and he gazed      How can you be certain little boy   Tell me how?   Because I was born, my friend   A hundred years from now      He hit a chord that rocked the spinet   And disappeared into the infinite   And up until the present day   You can take it from me   He's as right as can be   Ev'rything has happened that-a-way