A tune about New York provincialism, whose idea of the great frontier is the relative wilderness that was considered West End Avenue, the westmost boulevard in Manhattan before the Hudson River.
(Verse)
I've traveled the plains
On mountain streams I'd paddle
Over the Rockies I would trail
I'd hark to the strains
Of cowboys in the saddle
Not very musical, but male
I've roamed o'er the range with the herd
Where seldom is heard an intelligent word
(Chorus)
Git along, little taxi, you can keep the change
I'm ridin' home to my kitchen range
Way out west on West End Avenue
Oh, I love to listen to the wagon wheels
That bring the milk that your neighbor steals
Way out west on West End Avenue
Keep all your mountains
And your lone prairie so pretty
Give me the fountains
That go wrong at Radio City
I would trade your famous deer and antelope
For one tall beer and a cantaloupe
Way out west on West End Avenue
Yippee-yi-yay!
(Chorus 2)
Git along, little elevator, climb once more
To my lone shack on the 14th floor
Way out west on West End Avenue
When the sun's a-risin' over Central Park
I pull the blinds and it's nice and dark
Way out west on West End Avenue
Those 49ers
Who would stake a claim were hardy
I'll join the diners
And I'll claim a steak at Sardi
Oh, the wild herd gathers when the Moon is full
There's not much buffalo, but lots of bull
Way out west on West End Avenue
Yippee-yi-yay!
Way Out West (on West End Avenue) was written by Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart.