Released: August 1, 1996

Songwriter: George M. Green John Mellencamp

Producer: John Mellencamp

[Verse 1]
In a hand painted night, me and Gypsy Scotty are partners
At the Hotel Flamingo, wearin' black market shoes
This loud Cuban band is crucifying John Lennon
No one wants to be lonely, no one wants to sing the blues

[Verse 2]
She's perched like a parrot on his tuxedo shoulder
Christ, what's she doing with him, she could be dancing with me
She stirs the ice in her glass with her elegant finger
I want to be what she's drinking, yeah, I just want to be

[Chorus]
I saw you first, I'm the first one tonight
I saw you first, don't that give me the right
To move around in your heart
Everyone was lookin' but I saw you first

[Verse 3]
On a moon-spattered road in her parrot rebozo
Gypsy Scotty is driving his big long yellow car
She flies like a bird over his shoulder
She whispers in his ear, boy, you are my star

[Chorus]
But I saw you first, I'm the first one tonight
Yes, I saw you first, don't that give me the right
To move around in your heart
Everyone was lookin'

[Verse 4]
In the bone-colored dawn, me and Gypsy Scotty are singin'
The radio is playin', she left her shoes out in the back
He tells me a story about some girl he knows in Kentucky
He just made that story up, there ain't no girl like that

[Chorus]
But I saw you first, I'm the first one tonight
Yes, I saw you first, don't that give me the right
To move around in your heart
Everyone was lookin' but I saw you first
I saw you first
I saw you first
Yeah, yeah

John Mellencamp

John J Mellencamp, also known as John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American musician, singer-songwriter, painter, and actor. He is known for his catchy, populist brand of heartland rock, which emphasize with the working class.

John Mellencamp has released 22 studio albums, with a career that began in 1976 and still goes on today.

His most recent release was 2014’s Plain Spoken