They're selling postcards of the hanging,

[bobthedrummer]

they're painting the passports brown.
The beauty parlor's full of sailors, the circus is in town.

Here comes the blind commissoner, they've got him in a trance
one hand's tied to the tightrope walker,
the other is in his pants.

And the riot squad they're restless, they need somewhere to go
As lady and I look out tonight
From Desolation Row...

[bobthedrummer]

1. Cinderella she seems so easy

it takes one to know one she smiles
then puts her hands in her back pocket
Bette Davis style.
Then in comes Romeo he's moaning
you belong to me I believe
then someone says you're in the wrong place my friend
you'd better leave.
And the only sound that's left
after the ambulances go
is Cinderella sweeping up
on Desolation Row...

[bobthedrummer]

2. Now the moon is almost hidden

the stars are beginning to hide
the fortune telling lady
has taken all her things inside
all except for Cain and Abel
and the hunchback of Notre Dame.
Everybody is making love
or else expecting rain.
And the good samaritan he's dressing
he's getting ready for the show
he's going to the carnival
tonight on Desolation Row.

[bobthedrummer]

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.
To her death is quite romantic
she wears an iron vest.
Her profession's her religion
her sin is her lifelessness.
And though her eyes are fixed upon
Noah's great rainbow
she spends her time peeking
into Desolation Row...

[capriccio]

4. 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 so immaculately frightful
As he bummed a cigarette
Then he went off sniffing drainpipes
And reciting the alphabet
Now you would not think to look at him
But he was famous long ago
For playing the electric violin
On Desolation Row

[bobthedrummer]

7. You got it, capriccio! Here's the 6th verse-

Doctor Filth he keeps his word
inside of a leather cup
but all his sexless patients
they're trying to blow it up.
Now his nurse some local loser
she's in charge of the cyanide hole
and she also keeps the cards that read
"Have mercy on his soul"
They all play on penny whistles
you can hear them blow
if you lean your head out far enough
from Desolation Row...


(words and music by Bob Dylan copyright 1965 M. Whitmark&Sons)

4 more verses left...

[bobthedrummer]

5. 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 so immaculately frightful
as he bummed a cigarette
then he went off sniffing drain pipes
and reciting the alphabet.
Now you would not think to look at him
but he was famous long ago
for playing the electric violin
on Desolation Row...

[capriccio]

6. didn't mean to get in your way...

[bobthedrummer]

9. I got into the words, man!

Your turn now...
:hi:

[capriccio]

8. Dr. Filth, he keeps his world

Inside of a leather cup
But all his sexless patients
They're trying to blow it up
Now his nurse, some local loser
She's in charge of the cyanide hole
And she also keeps the cards that read
"Have Mercy on His Soul"
They all play on penny whistles
You can hear them blow
If you lean your head out far enough
From Desolation Row

[capriccio]

10. Are we rollin', Bob?

Across the street they've nailed the curtains
They're getting ready for the feast
The Phantom of the Opera
A perfect image of a priest
They're spoonfeeding Casanova
To get him to feel more assured
Then they'll kill him with self-confidence
After poisoning him with words

And the Phantom's shouting to skinny girls
"Get Outa Here If You Don't Know
Casanova is just being punished for going
To Desolation Row"

[bobthedrummer]

11. Now at midnight all the agents

and the super human crew
come out and round up everyone
that knows more than they do.
Then they bring them to the factory
where the heart attack machine
is strapped across their shoulders
and then the kerosene
is brought down from the castles
by insurance men who go
check to see that nobody is escaping
to Desolation Row...

(your turn. we're rolling)

[bobthedrummer]

12. Praise be to Nero's Neptune

The Titanic sails at dawn
and everybody's shouting
which side are you on?
And Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot
fighting in the captain's tower
while calypso singers laugh at them
and fishermen hold flowers
between the windows of the sea
where lovely mermaids flow
and nobody has to think too much
about Desolation Row...

1 verse left

[capriccio]

13. Yes, I received your posting yesterday

(About the time the voting machine broke)
When you asked how I was doing
Was that some kind of joke?
All these Neocons that you mention
Yes, I know them, they're quite lame
I had to rearrange their faces
And give them all another name
Right now I can't read too good
Don't send me no more emails no
Not unless you mail them
From Desolation Row