I Paid for Every Letter

Bought a dictionary at the five-and-dime Every page guaranteed, every word in line The clerk said "half these letters don't make a sound" Said "not on my dollar," and I stood my ground Keep the re-seep-tuh in a solid gold frame Every silent letter's gonna learn my name I paid for every letter, every letter's mine I say 'em how they're spelled, every single time You wanna tell me that I'm saying it wuh-rong Every letter that I bought is coming along 'Cause I paid for every letter And I'm-a use 'em all! (Use 'em all!) Took my baby out to the gore-mett buff-ett Ordered me a big ol' sal-mon fill-ett Bought a boo-kett of roses for my date Slipped a twenty to the val-lett at the gate The waiter told me "sir, those words are French" I said "then somebody owes me fifty cents" I paid for every letter, every letter's mine I say 'em how they're spelled, every single time You wanna tell me that I'm saying it wuh-rong Every letter that I bought is coming along 'Cause I paid for every letter And I'm-a use 'em all! (Use 'em all!) The plum-burr came around to fix my sink He heard me talking and he stopped to think He said "now listen, buddy, that B ain't free" I said "exactly - it belongs to me" Smashed my thum-buh with a wuh-rench that day Even my cuss words got spelled all the way Drove through Ar-kan-sass on a Wed-nes-day Illi-noise was loud, Dess Moyness was gray Every road sig-nuh got read out loud Con-neck-ti-cut, boy, I did you proud I paid for every letter, every letter's mine I say 'em how they're spelled, every single time You wanna tell me that I'm saying it wuh-rong Every letter that I bought is coming along 'Cause I paid for every letter And I'm-a use 'em all! (Use 'em all!) One more time for the folks up front I paid for every letter And I'm-a use 'em all