It's the hottest summer anyone can remember Everybody knows something's gonna start This fella sings with a hundred and one reasons For you to give him the keys, the keys to your heart Guitars crash land in flames from hell With bullets for rich or poor A voice rings out like a bell Cutting trough the chaos of hate and war Back to basics, guitar picks, drumsticks – spirit of '76 Sceptics, slapsticks, limericks and plastics – spirit of '76 Convicts, ethnics, mavericks and beatniks – spirit of '76 Psychics, mystics, politics and con tricks – spirit of '76 While Mister Nasty makes enemies of new statesmen And others jam with soul but nothing new And Yankee cars play the same old, on the stereo He walks up to the mike and he shows us what to do Music like this can kick down doors Dressed in rags with style They don't believe the truth no more A white riot leaves them bleeding in the aisles Back to Basics, guitar picks, drumsticks – spirit of '76 Sceptics, slapsticks, limericks and plastics – spirit of '76 Convicts, ethnics, mavericks and beatniks – spirit of '76 Psychics, mystics, politics and con tricks – spirit of '76 And nothing's gonna be the same again Said nothing's gonna be the same again Music like this can kick down doors Dressed in rags with style They don't believe the truth no more A white riot leaves them bleeding in the aisles