Rewriting Songs For The Contemporary Radio Audience

Today I'm going to take a stab at re-writing a song from the early days of rock 'n' roll radio for today's more, uh, worldly audience.

The song is "Wake Up Little Susie" by The Everly Brothers

At first I thought about re-naming the song "Get Out Little Susie", but then I realized that sounded a bit 1980's-ish, so instead I'm going with "You Need To Go Lil' Shawty"

The song "Wake Up Little Susie" opens with the lyrics:

Wake up little Susie, wake up
Wake up little Susie, wake up
We've both been sound asleep
Wake up little Susie and weep
The movies over, it's four o'clock
and we're in trouble deep

Now, in the year 2012, the lyrics would reflect the age of sexual enlightenment  strangers waking up with strangers in strange beds, the prevalence of misogynistic attitudes (esp. in Rap), etc., so the words would be more like:

Lil' Shawty, you got to get your ass out
Lil' Shawty, you got to get your ass out
'cause we done playing farmer and plow
Lil' Shawty, you got to sack off now
That vadge was fine but I ain't got time 
So you know, see ya, sayonara, ciao

The original song continues with:

Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie
Well, what are we going to tell your mama?
What are we going to tell your pa?
What are we going to tell our friends 
When they say ooh-la-la?
Wake up little Susie 
Wake up little Susie

Which would be replaced with:

Lil' Shawty, get yo ass out
Lil' Shawty, get yo ass out
I ain't 'bout s'plainin' to my big sis
I don't need FA from fastards getting in my biz 
I don't need to be playin' Q & A with the homies
About who the Freakyfreak of the week is
Lil' Shawty, get yo ass out
Lil' Shawty, get yo ass out

Again, the original lyrics:

Well I told your mama that you'd be in by ten
Well Susie baby looks like we goofed again
Wake up little Susie 
Wake up little Susie
We gotta go home

Wake up little Susie, wake up
Wake up little Susie, wake up

The movie wasn't so hot
It didn't have much of a plot
We fell asleep, our goose is cooked
Our reputation is shot

Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie, well
What are we going to tell your mama
What are we going to tell your pa
What are we going to tell our friends
When they say ooh-la-la

Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie 

And the 2012 radio-friendly update:

It's cool you were down with playin' some mattress hockey
I ain't lyin' saying you is one fine sausage jockey
Lil' Shawty, get yo ass out
Lil' Shawty, get yo ass out
Yo ass got to go now

Lil' Shawty, you got to get your ass out
Lil' Shawty, you got to get your ass out

That bar was such a village
You caught my eye with that cleavage
We bumped uglies, and we can be friendlies
So don't be thinking this is a dumpage


Lil' Shawty, get yo ass out
Lil' Shawty, get yo ass out
I ain't 'bout s'plainin' to my big sis
I don't need FA from fastards getting in my biz 
I don't need to be playin' Q & A with the homies
About who the Freakyfreak of the week is

Lil' Shawty, get yo ass out
Lil' Shawty, get yo ass out
Lil' Shawty, get yo ass out

I think I've got a hit on my hands here. Might have to get a Grammy acceptance speech ready....

Be sure to join me next week when I update "Oobie Doobie" (Or Day Tripper...naw, that would be waaaay too obvious)


*The lyrics to Wake Up Little Susie" were written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant in 1957 and the song was banned in numerous cities as it was considered risque!

**The lyrics are used here purely for satire/parody purposes as defined under the fair use doctrine codified in 17 USC § 107.