Desolation Row

[Verse 1]

They're selling postcards of the hanging

They're painting the passports brown

The beauty parlor is all filled with sailors

You know, the circus is in town

Here comes the blind commissioner

They've got him in a trance

One hand is tied to the tight-rope walker

You know, the other one is in his pants

And the riot squad they're restless

They need someplace to go

As Lady and I look out tonight

On Desolation Row

[Verse 2]

Einstein, disguised as Robin Hood

With his memories in a trunk

Passed this way an hour ago

With his friend, a jealous monk

He looked immaculately frightful

He bummed a cigarette

He went off sniffing drainpipes

He was reciting the alphabet

You would not think just to look at him

That he was famous long ago

For playing the electric violin

On Desolation Row

[Verse 3]

Now Ophelia, she's 'neath the window

For her I feel so afraid

On her twenty-second birthday

She already is an old maid

Now, here comes Romeo and he's moaning

"You Belong to Me I Believe"

And then someone says, "You're in the wrong place, my friend

You'd better leave"

They all play on the penny whistle

You can hear them blow

If you lean your head out far enough

In Desolation Row

[Verse 4]

Cinderella, she looks so easy

"It takes one to know one," she smiles

And she sticks her hands in her back pockets

Bette Davis style

To her, death is quite romantic

She wears an iron vest

Her profession is her religion

You know, her sin is her lifelessness

And the only sound that you can hear

After the ambulances go

Is Cinderella sweeping up

On Desolation Row

[Verse 5]

Yeah, you know I got your letter yesterday

About the time the door knob broke

When you asked how I was doing

Was that some kind of joke?

All these people that you mention

Yes, I know them, they're quite lame

I had to rearrange their faces

And I gave them all another name

Right now I don't feel too good

Don't send me no more letters, no

Not unless you mail them

From Desolation Row

Right now I don't feel too good

Don't send me no more letters, no

Not unless you mail them

From Desolation Row