Written by Nat King Cole and Irving Mills

A buzzard took a monkey for a ride in the air,
The monkey thought that everything
was on the square.
The buzzard tried to throw the monkey
off OF his back,
The monkey grabbed his neck and said,
"Now listen, Jack..."

Straighten up and fly right,
Straighten up and stay right
Straighten up and fly right
Cool down, papa, don't you blow your top.
Ain't no use in divin',
What's the use in jivin'?
Straighten up and fly right
Cool down, papa, don't you blow your top.

The buzzard told the monkey,
"You are chokin' me.
Release your hold and I will set you free."
The monkey looked the buzzard right
dead in the eye and said,
"Your story's so touching, but it sounds
jes' like a lie."

Straighten up and fly right
Straighten up and stay right
Straighten up and fly right
Cool down, papa, don't you blow your top.

(Take it away, boys!)

Straighten up and fly right,
Straighten up and stay right
Straighten up and fly right
Cool down, papa, don't you blow your top.
Ain't no use in divin',
Ain't no good in jivin'?
Straighten up and fly right
Cool down, papa, don't you blow - your - top.