Every time my parents were gone
They'd hire this babysitter named Dawn
I'd stay up late, watch MTV
It opened up a whole new world to me
She always used to say that every Friday
The whole high school would go, let's go!
Over to the school's gymnasium to bask in the rock and roll
There were mullets, heshers, skaters, jocks
New wave band geek brains
They'd all get together and dance forever
'Cause the music made them the same

Save the last dance for me
Before I pull the plug would you set me free
My life sucks, it's not the one I see on MTV, yeah

I grew up, Dawn got knocked up, and MTV got huge
By the time it was my turn to rock and roll
I realized we were used
'Cause the fable on the cable made it able for the label
To turn the table on the music scene
When you're just 13 what the hell's that mean
How are you supposed to know
Mullets, heshers, skaters, jocks
Punk rock kids with chains
They couldn't stay together and dance forever
Money made the music change

Save the last dance for me
Before I pull the plug would you set me free
My life sucks, it's not the one I see on MTV

It was the old rock and roll under brand new control
And a holy war was waged
But the billions of civilians they forgot who were the villains
And the underdog died on stage

I want my MTV, yeah! yeah!
But it don't want me
I want my MTV
But it don't want me, yeah!

Save the last dance for me
Before I fall apart would set me free
I still know the way that we could
Save the last dance for me
Before I pull the plug would you set me free
The real world sucks, it's not the one I see on MTV
The one I see on MTV, yeah