Lyrics:

I ain't stopping fingers keep bopping

Swing band rocking from the street to the bar

West coast's dated music's overrated
Here it on the radio in every car
Chorus
The heat in harlem the heat in harlem, yep
The heat in harlem the heat in harlem
And the heat of the soul

Ring that number hear that timbre
Watch my senses go right out the door
Born on the pavement that's where it happens
Rocking the apartment on the fifteenth floor

Chorus

Bridge

And when the heat burns your feet, got to jump to save your skin

And when you jump the water pump

The water just rushes away in the burning heat

Ooh yep, save your skin, uuh

We've been screaming, screaming through a jukebox
Screaming at someone that don't even care
Born on the pavement that's where it happens
Feel like fire in the midnight air

Chorus twice

Slow bridge em a em a em (alternaties like this with sometimes a em taking over)
A em a em dm em dm em
Look at the heat wave got everybody, got everybody under it's spell
Sit back and wonder stand or go under, or feel the thunder starting to swell
The heat in harlem, the heat in harlem the heat in harlem punches then rolls
No big decision no aircondition the heat in harlem is the heat of the soul
Mamma is crying daddy is trying brother is working for everything you own
Sister is dreaming, dreaming of broadway around the corner a million miles from home

The heat in harlem the heat in harlem the heat in harlem punches then rolls
No big decision no aircondition the heat in harlem is the heat of the soul

The heat of the soul the heat of the soul the heat of the soul the heat of the soul
Down in the heatwave, yeah down down in the heatwave down in the heatwave, yeah
Down in the heat, heat, yeah watch the moon come down in the heat down in harlem town
Watch it all come down in the heat down in harlem town
The heat of the soul the heat of the soul
Watch it all come down in the heat down in harlem town
Watch the moon come down in the heat down in harlem town
Down in the heatwave, yeah down in the heatwave, yeah
Take it down in the heat heat yeah the heat of the soul
The heat of the soul