- Video Killed The Radio Star
The Presidents of the United States of America Lyrics

I heard you on my wireless back in '52
I listened to your music on the radio in the 1950s.

Lyin' awake intent on tuning in on you
I was so captivated by your music that I stayed up all night listening to the radio, hoping to hear your songs.

If I was young it didn't stop you coming through
Even though I was young at the time, I still enjoyed your music and felt its impact.

They took the credit for your second symphony
Someone else got the recognition for your work, even though it was your creation.

Rewritten by machine on new technology
Your music was remade using new, technologically advanced machines.

And now I understand the supernova scene
I now comprehend the explosion of musical creativity that happened during that time period.

I met your children
I met the next generation of your fans.

What did you tell them?
What words of creative wisdom did you impart to your younger fans?

Video killed the radio star
The invention of music videos has replaced the importance and influence of radio in the music industry.

Pictures came and broke your heart,
The visual element of music caused you to feel like your art form was under attack.

we can't rewind we've gone too far
We cannot revisit the past and undo the changes that the introduction of music videos has made to the music industry.

And now we meet in an abandoned studio
Years after your rise to fame, we find ourselves in a forgotten studio space.

You hear the playback and it seems so long ago
When you now listen to your own music, it feels like it was created in a different era.

And you remember, the jingles used to go,
You recall the advertising jingles that played on the radio during your early days in the music industry.

You were the first one
You were the pioneer of a new sound and style of music.

You were the last one
You were also the last to experience success purely through the medium of radio without the help of music videos.

Pictures came and broke your heart,
Once again, the visual component of music has caused you pain and a sense of loss.

we can't rewind we've gone too far
Just like before, we cannot undo the changes that have occurred in the music industry.

Put all the blame on VCR
The proliferation of videotape recorders is a key factor in the decline of radio as the primary method for discovering new music.

You are, the radio star
You still represent the golden age of music on the radio, and your influence is still felt today.

Video killed the radio star
Once again, we acknowledge the role of music videos in pushing radio out of the spotlight.

Video killed that radio star, yes it did
The impact of music videos on radio cannot be denied, as radio's influence on music has forever been altered.