Music
There must be some kind of way out of here
Said the joker to the thief
There's too much confusion
I can't get no relief
Businessman they drink my wine
Plow men dig my earth
None will level on the line
Nobody of it is worth
Hey heyNo reason to get excited
The thief he kindly spoke
There are many here among us
Who feel that life is but a joke but uh
But you and i we've been through that
And this is not our fate
So let us not talk falsely now
The hour's getting late
HeyHey
All along the watchtower
Princes kept the view
While all the women came and went
Bare-foot servants to, but huh
Outside in the cold distance
A wild cat did growl
Two riders were approachin'
And the wind began to howl
Hey
Oh
All along the watchtower
Hear you sing around the watch
Gotta beware gotta beware i will
Yeah
Ooh baby
All along the watchtowerYou walk into the room
With your pencil in your hand
You see somebody naked
And you say, "Who is that man?"
You try so hard
But you don't understand
Just what you'll say
When you get home
Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
You raise up your head
And you ask, "Is this where it is?"
And somebody points to you and says
"It's his"
And you say, "What's mine?"
And somebody else says, "Where what is?"
And you say, "Oh my God
Am I here all alone?"
Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
You hand in your ticket
And you go watch the geek
Who immediately walks up to you
When he hears you speak
And says, "How does it feel
To be such a freak?"
And you say, "Impossible"
As he hands you a bone
Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
You have many contacts
Among the lumberjacks
To get you facts
When someone attacks your imagination
But nobody has any respect
Anyway they already expect you
To just give a check
To tax-deductible charity organizations
You've been with the professors
And they've all liked your looks
With great lawyers you have
Discussed lepers and crooks
You've been through all of
F. Scott Fitzgerald's books
You're very well read
It's well known
Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
Well, the sword swallower, he comes up to you
And then he kneels
He crosses himself
And then he clicks his high heels
And without further notice
He asks you how it feels
And he says, "Here is your throat back
Thanks for the loan"
Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
Now you see this one-eyed midget
Shouting the word "NOW"
And you say, "For what reason?"
And he says, "How?"
And you say, "What does this mean?"
And he screams back, "You're a cow
Give me some milk
Or else go home"
Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
Well, you walk into the room
Like a camel and then you frown
You put your eyes in your pocket
And your nose on the ground
There ought to be a law
Against you comin' around
You should be made
To wear earphones
Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
Far between sundown's finish and midnight's broken toll
We ducked inside the doorway, thunder crashing
As majestic bells of bolts struck shadows in the sounds
Seeming to be the chimes of freedom flashing
Flashing for the warriors whose strength is not to fight
Flashing for the refugees on the unarmed road of flight
And for each and every underdog soldier in the night
And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing
In the city's melted furnace, unexpectedly we watched
With faces hidden while the walls were tightening
As the echo of the wedding bells before the blowin' rain
Dissolved into the bells of the lightning
Tolling for the rebel, tolling for the rake
Tolling for the luckless, the abandoned and forsaked
Tolling for the outcast, burnin' constantly at stake
And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing
Through the mad mystic hammering of the wild ripping hail
The sky cracked its poems in naked wonder
That the clinging of the church bells blew far into the breeze
Leaving only bells of lightning and its thunder
Striking for the gentle, striking for the kind
Striking for the guardians and protectors of the mind
And the unpawned painter behind beyond his rightful time
And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing
Through the wild cathedral evening the rain unraveled tales
For the disrobed faceless forms of no position
Tolling for the tongues with no place to bring their thoughts
All down in taken-for-granted situations
Tolling for the deaf and blind, tolling for the mute
Tolling for the mistreated, mateless mother, the mistitled prostitute
For the misdemeanor outlaw, chased and cheated by pursuit
And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing
Even though a cloud's white curtain in a far-off corner flashed
And the hypnotic splattered mist was slowly lifting
Electric light still struck like arrows, fired but for the ones
Condemned to drift or else be kept from drifting
Tolling for the searching ones, on their speechless, seeking trail
For the lonesome-hearted lovers with too personal a tale
And for each unharmful, gentle soul misplaced inside a jail
And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing
Starry-eyed and laughing as I recall when we were caught
Trapped by no track of hours for they hanged suspended
As we listened one last time and we watched with one last look
Spellbound and swallowed 'til the tolling ended
Tolling for the aching ones whose wounds cannot be nursed
For the countless confused, accused, misused, strung-out ones and worse
And for every hung-up person in the whole wide universe
And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing
Uttering idle words from a reprobate mind
Clinging to strange promises, dying on the vine
Never bein' able to separate the good from the bad
Ooh, I can't stand it, I can't stand it
It's makin' me feel so sad
Dead man, dead man
When will you arise?
Cobwebs in your mind
Dust upon your eyes
Satan got you by the heel, there's a bird's nest in your hair (note 1)
Do you have any faith at all? Do you have any love to share?
The way that you hold your head, cursin' God with every move
Ooh, I can't stand it, I can't stand it
What are you tryin' to prove?
The glamour and the bright lights and the politics of sin
The ghetto that you build for me is the one you end up in
The race of the engine that overrules your heart
Ooh, I can't stand it, I can't stand it
Pretending that you're so smart
What are you tryin' to overpower me with, the doctrine or the gun?
My back is already to the wall, where can I run?
The tuxedo that you're wearin', the flower in your lapel
Ooh, I can't stand it, I can't stand it
You wanna take me down to hell
They're selling postcards of the hanging
They're painting the passports brown
The beauty parlor's filled with sailors
The circus is in town
In walks the blind commissioner
They've got him in a trance
One hand is tied to the tight-rope 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
Now Cinderella, she seems so easy
"It takes one to know one," she smiles
And puts her hands in her back pockets
Bette Davis style
And in walks Romeo, he's moaning
"You belong to me I believe"
And someone says, "You're in the wrong place, my friend (note 1)
You better leave"
And the only sound that you can hear
After the ambulances go
Is Cinderella sweeping up
On Desolation Row
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 gaze is fixed upon
Noah's great rainbow
She spend her time peeking in
On Desolation Row
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
Now the moon is almost hidden (note 2)
The stars are beginning to hide
The fortune telling lady
Has already 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
Doctor Filth, he keeps his world
Inside of a leather cup
And all his sexless patients
They're all 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 the penny whistle
You can hear them blow
If you lean your head out far enough
On Desolation Row
Across the street they've nailed the curtains
They're getting ready for the feast
The Phantom of the Opera
In the 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 out of here if you don't know"
Casanova is just being punished for going
To Desolation Row
Now at midnight all the agents
And the superhuman crew
They go and round up everyone
That knows more than they do
They take them to the facory
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
Make sure nobody is escaping
To Desolation Row
Praise be to Nero's Neptune
The Titanic sails at dawn
Everybody's shouting
"Which side are you on?"
And Ezra Pound and T.S.Eliot
They're fighting in the captain's tower
While calypso singers laugh at them
And fishermen throw flowers
Between the windows of the sea
Where lovely mermaids flow
And no one has to think too much
About Desolation Row
Yes I received your letter yesterday
About the time the doorknob broke
When you asked how I was doing
Was that some kind of joke?
All these people that you mentioned
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 so good
Don't send me no more letters, no
Not unless you mail them
From Desolation Row
Well it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
If you don't know by now
It ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
It'll never do, some-how
When the rooster crows at the break of dawn
Look out your window and I'll be gone
You're the reason I'm travelin' on
But don't think twice, it's all right
Ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
That light I never knowed
Ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
I'm on the dark side of the road
Still I wish there was somethin' you would do or say
To try & make me change my mind and stay
We never did too much talkin' anyway
So don't think twice, it's all right
It ain't no use in callin out my name, gal
Like you never done before
It ain't no use in callin out my name, gal
I can't hear anymore
I'm sittin' and a-wonderin', walkin' down the road
I once loved a woman - a child I am told
I give her my heart, but she wanted my soul
But don't think twice, it's all right
So long honey babe
Where I'm bound, I can't tell
Goodbye is too good a word babe
So I'll just say, "Fare thee well"
I ain't sayin you treated me unkind
You coulda done better but, I don't mind
You just kind of wasted my precious time
But don't think twice, it's all right
May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every one
May you stay
Forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young
May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be true
May you stay
Forever young
May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
May you stay
Forever young
You may be an ambassador to England or France
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls
But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody
You might be a rock 'n' roll addict prancing on the stage
You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage
You may be a business man or some high degree thief
They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief
You may be a state trooper, you might be a young Turk
You may be the head of some big TV network
You may be rich or poor, you may be blind or lame
You may be living in another country under another name
You may be a construction worker working on a home
You may be living in a mansion or you might live in a dome
You might own guns and you might even own tanks
You might be somebody's landlord, you might even own banks
You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride
You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side
You may be workin' in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair
You may be somebody's mistress, may be somebody's heir
Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk
Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk
You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread
You may be sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a king-sized bed
You may call me Terry, you may call me Timmy
You may call me Bobby, you may call me Zimmy
You may call me R.J., you may call me Ray
You may call me anything but no matter what you say
Heart of mine go back home
You [got no] reason to wander, no reason to roam
You let yourself down
[?]
Don't [be] let yourself down
Heart of mine
Heart of mine be still
Oh you play with fire but you'll get the bill
[Oh let] yourself down
Let yourself down where you're going
Don't be a fool, don't be blind
Heart of mine
Heart of mine so restless and bold
Give you an inch and you'll take a mile
Oh let yourself go
Let yourself know where you're going
Oh don't be a fool, don't be blind
Heart of mine
Heart of mine always [?] guile
Give you an inch and you'll take a mile
Oh [?]
Your say you know where you're going
You say you know [?] blind
Heart of mine
Oh God said to Abraham "kill me a son"
Abe said "man you must be puttin me on"
God said "no", Abe said "what"
God say "you can do what you wanna but
the next time you see me comin you better run"
Well Abe said "where d'you want this killin done"
God said "out on Highway 61"Well Georgia Sam he had a bloody nose
welfare department wouldn't give him no clothes
They asked poor Howard where can I go
Howard said "there's only one place I know"
Sam said "tell me quick man I got to run"
Oh Howard just pointed with his gun
and said "that way down Highway 61"Well Mack the finger said to Louie the king
"I got 40 red white and blue shoestrings
and a thousand telephone that don't ring.
Do you know where I can get rid of these things?"
and Louie the king said "let me think for a minute son"
Then he said "yes I think it can be easily done
Just take everything down to Highway 61"Now the 5th daughter on the 12th night
told the first father that things weren't right
"my complexion", she says, "is much too white"
He said "come here and step into the light"
He said "hmm you're right let me tell the 2nd mother this has been done"
But the 2nd mother was with the 7th son
and they were both out on Highway 61Now the roving gambler he was very bored
trying to create a next world war
He found a promoter who nearly fell off the floor
He said "I never engaged in this kind of thing before
But yes, I think it can be very easily done
We'll just put some bleachers out in the sun
and have it on Highway 61"The guilty undertaker sighs
The lonesome organ grinder cries
The silver saxophones say I should refuse you
The cracked bells and washed-out horns
Blow into my face with scorn
But it's not that way
I wasn't born to lose you
I want you, I want you
I want you so bad
Honey, I want you
The drunken politician leaps
Upon the street where mothers weep
And the saviours who are fast asleep
They wait for you
And I wait for them to interrupt
Me drinkin' from my broken cup
And ask me to
Open up the gate for you
Now all my fathers, they've gone down
True love they've been without it
But all their daughters put me down
'Cause I don't think about it
Well, I return to the Queen of Spades (note 1)
And talk with my chambermaid
She knowClose your eyes, close the door (note 1)
You don't have to worry any more
I'll be your baby tonightShut the light, shut the shade (note 2)
You don't have to be afraid
I'll be your baby tonightWell, that mockingbird's gonna sail away
We're gonna forget it (note 3)
That big, fat moon is gonna shine like a spoon
But we're gonna let it, you won't regret itKick your shoes off, do not fear
Bring that bottle over here
I'll be your baby tonightI drive a mailtrain, mama, can't buy a thrill (note 1)
I been up all night, mama, sleeping on a window sill (note 2)
Well, if I die on top of the hill
And if I don't make it, you know my baby willDon't the moon look good, mama, shining through the trees? (note 3)
Don't the brakeman look good, mama, flagging down the "Double E"?
Don't the sun look fine setting down over the sea? (note 4)
Don't my gal look fine when she's coming after me? (note 5Now the wintertime is coming, the windows are filled with frost
I tried to tell everybody, but I could not get across (note 6)
I wanna be your lover, baby, I don't wanna be your boss
Don't say I didn't warn you when your train gets lost (note 7)Don't say I didn't warn you when your train gets lost
Don't say I didn't warn you when your train gets lostYou must leave now, take what you need, you think will last
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
He's crying like a fire in the sun
Look out, all the saints are coming through
And it's all over now, Baby BlueThe highway is for gamblers, you'd better use your sense
Take what you have gathered from coincidence
The empty-handed painter from your streets
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheets
The sky, too, is folding over you (note 1)
And it's all over now, Baby BlueAll your seasick sailors, they are rowing home
Your empty-handed army is all going home
The lover who just walked out your door
Has taken all his blankets from the floor
The carpet, too, is moving under you (note 1)
And it's all over now, Baby BlueLeave your stepping stones behind, there's something calls for you
Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you
The vagabond who's rapping at your door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore
Strike another match, go start anew
And it's all over now, Baby BlueIt's all over now, Baby Blue
It's all over now, Baby Blue
It's all over now, Baby BlueBorn in Red Hook, Brooklyn, in the year of who knows when
Opened up his eyes to the tune of an accordion
Always on the outside of whatever side there was
When they asked him why it had to be that way, "Well," he answered,"just because"Larry was the oldest, Joey was next to last
They called Joe "Crazy," the baby they called "Kid Blast"
Some say they lived off gambling and runnin' numbers too
It always seemed they got caught between the mob and the men in blueJoey, Joey
King of the streets, child of clay
Joey, Joey
What made them want to come and blow you away?There was talk they killed their rivals, but the truth was far from that
No one ever knew for sure where they were really at
When they tried to strangle Larry, Joey almost hit the roof
He went out that night to seek revenge, thinkin' he was bullet proofThe war broke out at the break of dawn, it emptied out the streets
Joey and his brothers suffered terrible defeats
Till they ventured out behind the lines and took five prisoners
They stashed them away in a basement, called them amateursThe hostages were tremblin' when they heard a man exclaim
"Let's blow this place to kingdom come, let Con Edison take the blame"
But Joey stepped up, he raised his hand, said,"We're not those kind of men
It's peace and quiet that we need to go back to work again"Joey, Joey
King of the streets, child of clay
Joey, Joey
What made them want to come and blow you away?The police department hounded him, they called him Mr Smith
They got him on conspiracy, they were never sure who with
"What time is it?" said the judge to Joey when they met
"Five to ten," said Joey. The judge says,"That's exactly what you get"He did ten years in Attica, reading Nietzsche and Wilhelm Reich
They threw him in the hole one time for tryin' to stop a strike
His closest friends were black men 'cause they seemed to understand
What it's like to be in society with a shackle on your handWhen they let him out in '71 he'd lost a little weight (note 1)
But he dressed like Jimmy Cagney and I swear he did look great
He tried to find the way back into the life he left behind
To the boss he said,"I have returned and now I want what's mine"Joey, Joey
King of the streets, child of clay
Joey, Joey
Why did they have to come and blow you away?It was true that in his later years he would not carry a gun
"I'm around too many children," he'd say,"they should never know of one"
Yet he walked right into the clubhouse of his lifelong deadly foe
Emptied out the register, said,"Tell 'em it was Crazy Joe"One day they blew him down in a clam bar in New York
He could see it comin' through the door as he lifted up his fork
He pushed the table over to protect his family
Then he staggered out into the streets of Little ItalyJoey, Joey
King of the streets, child of clay
Joey, Joey
What made them want to come and blow you away?Sister Jacqueline and Carmela and mother Mary all did weep
I heard his best friend Frankie say,"He ain't dead, he's just asleep"
Then I saw the old man's limousine head back towards the grave
I guess he had to say one last goodbye to the son that he could not saveThe sun turned cold over President Street and the town of Brooklyn mourned
They said a mass in the old church near the house where he was born
And someday if God's in heaven overlookin' His preserve
I know the men that shot him down will get what they deserveJoey, Joey
King of the streets, child of clay
Joey, Joey
What made them want to come and blow you away?John Brown went off to war to fight on a foreign shore
His mama sure was proud of him
He stood straight and tall in his uniform and all
His mama's face broke out all in a grin"Oh son, you look so fine, I'm glad you're a son of mine
You make me proud to know you hold a gun
Do what the captain says, lots of medals you will get
And we'll put them on the wall when you come home"As that old train pulled out, John's ma began to shout
Tellin' ev'ryone in the neighborhood
"That's my son that's about to go, he's a soldier now, you know"
She made well sure her neighbors understoodShe got a letter once in a while and her face broke into a smile
As she showed them to the people from next door
And she bragged about her son with his uniform and gun
And these things you called a good old-fashioned war
Oh good old-fashioned warThen the letters ceased to come, for a long time they did not come
They ceased to come for about ten months or more
Then a letter finally came saying, "Go down and meet the train
Your son's a-coming home from the war"She smiled and went right down, she looked everywhere around
But she could not see her soldier son in sight
But as all the people passed, she saw her son at last
When she did she could hardly believe her eyesOh his face was all shot up and his hand was all blown off
And he wore a metal brace around his waist
He whispered kind of slow, in a voice she did not know
While she couldn't even recognize his face
Oh Lord, not even recognize his face"Oh tell me, my darling son, pray tell me what they done
How is it you come to be this way?"
He tried his best to talk but his mouth could hardly move
And the mother had to turn her face away"Don't you remember, Ma, when I went off to war
You thought it was the best thing I could do?
I was on the battleground, you were home ... acting proud
You wasn't there standing in my shoes""Oh, and I thought when I was there, God, what am I doing here?
I'm a-tryin' to kill somebody or die tryin'
But the thing that scared me most was when my enemy came close
And I saw that his face looked just like mine"
Oh Lord, just like mine"And I couldn't help but think, through the thunder rolling and stink
That I was just a puppet in a play
And through the roar and smoke, this string is finally broke
And a cannon ball blew my eyes away"As he turned away to walk, his Ma was still in shock
At seein' the metal brace that helped him stand
But as he turned to go, he called his mother close
And he dropped his medals down into her handJohn Brown went off to war to fight on a foreign shore
His mama sure was proud of him
He stood straight and tall in his uniform and all
His mama's face broke out all in a grin"Oh son, you look so fine, I'm glad you're a son of mine
You make me proud to know you hold a gun
Do what the captain says, lots of medals you will get
And we'll put them on the wall when you come home"As that old train pulled out, John's ma began to shout
Tellin' ev'ryone in the neighborhood
"That's my son that's about to go, he's a soldier now, you know"
She made well sure her neighbors understoodShe got a letter once in a while and her face broke into a smile
As she showed them to the people from next door
And she bragged about her son with his uniform and gun
And these things you called a good old-fashioned war
Oh good old-fashioned warThen the letters ceased to come, for a long time they did not come
They ceased to come for about ten months or more
Then a letter finally came saying, "Go down and meet the train
Your son's a-coming home from the war"She smiled and went right down, she looked everywhere around
But she could not see her soldier son in sight
But as all the people passed, she saw her son at last
When she did she could hardly believe her eyesOh his face was all shot up and his hand was all blown off
And he wore a metal brace around his waist
He whispered kind of slow, in a voice she did not know
While she couldn't even recognize his face
Oh Lord, not even recognize his face"Oh tell me, my darling son, pray tell me what they done
How is it you come to be this way?"
He tried his best to talk but his mouth could hardly move
And the mother had to turn her face away"Don't you remember, Ma, when I went off to war
You thought it was the best thing I could do?
I was on the battleground, you were home ... acting proud
You wasn't there standing in my shoes""Oh, and I thought when I was there, God, what am I doing here?
I'm a-tryin' to kill somebody or die tryin'
But the thing that scared me most was when my enemy came close
And I saw that his face looked just like mine"
Oh Lord, just like mine"And I couldn't help but think, through the thunder rolling and stink
That I was just a puppet in a play
And through the roar and smoke, this string is finally broke
And a cannon ball blew my eyes away"As he turned away to walk, his Ma was still in shock
At seein' the metal brace that helped him stand
But as he turned to go, he called his mother close
And he dropped his medals down into her handWhen you're lost in the rain in Juarez and it's Easter time too
When your gravity fails you and negativity don't pull you through
Don't you put on any airs when you're lost on Rue Morgue Avenue
They got some hungry creatures there, they'll surely make a mess out of youNow if you see St Annie, won't you please tell her thanks a lot
My stalks they are twisted and my tentacles are all in a knot
I can't even roll out of the bed and crawl across the floor to take another shot
And my best friend, my drummer, won't even tell me what it was that I droppedNow sweet Melinda, the peasants call her the goddess of gloom
She speaks such good English when she invites you up into her room
And of course you, you're so kind and conscientious and careful not to go to her too soon
Still she steals your voice and she leaves you howling at the moonUp on Housing Project Hill, it's either fortune or fame
You must choose one or the other though neither are to be what they claim
If you're looking to get silly, you better go back to from where you came
Because the cops don't need you and man, they expect the sameNow all the authorities, they just lay around and boast
How they blackmailed the seargent at arms into leaving his post
And picking up Angel, who just arrived out here from the coast
Who looked so fine at first, but left just looking like a ghostNow I started out on burgundy, but then I soon hit the harder stuff
Everybody swore that they would stand beside me when the game got rough
But the joke was on everybody, there wasn't even anybody there to bluff
I'm goin' back to Foggy Bottom, I do believe I've had enoughCome take this badge off of me
I won't wear it any more
Now the sun is setting over me
And I feel like I'm knocking on heaven's doorKnock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's doorCome put these guns in the ground
I can't shoot them any more
The sun is going down
And I believe I'm knocking on heaven's doorKnock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's doorCome wipe these tears from my eyes
I can't shed them any more
The sun is setting in the western sky
People, I believe I must be knocking on heaven's doorKnock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Just like so many times beforeKnock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door
Just like so many times before[Weir]
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
Well I wake in the morning, fold my hands and pray for rain
I got a head full of ideas that are driving me insane
It's a shame the way she makes me scrub the floor
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more[Garcia]
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more
Well he hands you a nickel, he hands you a dime
He asks you with a grin if you're having a good time
Then he fines you every time you slam the door
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's brother no more[Hornsby]
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more
Well she talks to all the servants about man and God and law
Everybody says she's the brains behind pa
She's sixty eight but she says she's twenty four (note 1)
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's ma no more[Welnick]
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's pa no more
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's father no more
Well he puts his cigar out in your face just for kicks
His bedroom window is made out of bricks
The National Guard hangs around his door
I ain't gonna work for Maggie's father no more[Lesh]
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more
Well I try my best to be just like I am
But everybody wants me to be just like them
They sing while you slave and I just get bored
No I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no moreLook out your window, baby, there's a scene you'd like to catch
The band is playing "Dixie," a man got his hand outstretched
Could be the Fuhrer
Could be the local priest
You know sometimes Satan comes as a man of peaceHe got a sweet gift of gab, he got a harmonious tongue
He knows every song of love that ever has been sung
Good intentions can be evil
Both hands can be full of grease
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peaceWell, first he's in the background, then he's in the front
Both eyes are looking like they're on a rabbit hunt
Nobody can see through him
No, not even the Chief of Police
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peaceWell, he catch you when you're hoping for a glimpse of the sun (note 1)
Catch you when your troubles feel like they weigh a ton
He could be standing next to you
The person that you'd notice least
I hear that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peaceWell, he can be fascinating, he can be dull (note 2)
He can ride down Niagara Falls in the barrels of your skull
I can smell something cooking
I can tell there's going to be a feast
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peaceHe's a great humanitarian, he's a great philanthropist (note 1)
He knows just where to touch you, honey, and how you like to be kissed
He'll put both his arms around you
You can feel the tender touch of the beast
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peaceWell, the howling wolf will howl tonight, the king snake will crawl (note 1)
Trees that've stood for a thousand years suddenly will fall
Wanna get married? Do it now
Tomorrow all activity will cease
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peaceSomewhere Mama's weeping for her blue-eyed boy
She's holding them little white shoes and that little broken toy
And he's following a star
The same one them three men followed from the East
I hear that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peaceWell the ragman draws circles, up and down the block
I'd ask him what's the matter, but I know that he don't talk
And the ladies treat me kindly, and they furnish me with tape
But deep inside my heart, I know I can't escape
Oh, mama, can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues againWell Shakespeare he's in the alley
With his pointed shoes and bell
Speaking with some French girl, who says she knows me well
And me, I'd send a message, to find out if she's talked
But the post office has been stolen, and the mailbox is locked
Oh, mama, can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues againMona tried to warn me, stay away from the train line
She said that all the railroad men
Just drink up your blood like wine
And I said, oh I didn't know that
But then again there's only one I've met
He just smoked my eyelids, and he punched my cigarette
Oh, mama, can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues againGrandpa died last week, and they buried him in the rocks
Everyone still talks about how badly they are shocked
But me, I expected it to happen, I knew he'd lost control
When he built a fire on Main Street, and he shot it full of holes
Oh, mama, can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues againNow the senator, he came down here, showing everyone his gun
Handing out free tickets to the wedding of his son
And me, I nearly got busted, and wouldn't it be my luck
To get caught without a ticket and be discovered beneath a truck
Oh, mama, can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues againNow the preacher looks so baffled
When I asked him why he dressed
With twenty pounds of headlines stapled to his chest
But he cursed me when I proved it to him
Then I said, you see, not even you can hide
You see, you're just like me, and I hope you're satisfied
Oh, mama, can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues againNow the rainman gave me two cures, then he said jump right in
The first was Texas medecine, the second was just railroad gin
And like a fool I mixed them up, and it strangled up my mind
And now people just get uglier, and I've got no sense of time
Oh, mama, can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues againWhen Ruthie says come see her in her honky-tonk lagoon
Where I can watch her waltz for free, 'neath her Panamanian moon
And I said, oh come on now, you know about my debutante
And she says, your debutante knows just what you need
But I know what you want
Oh, mama, can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues againNow the bricks, they lay on Grand Street where the neon madmen climb
They all fall there so perfectly, it all seems so well timed
And here I sit so patiently, waiting to find out what price
You have to pay to get out of
Going through all of these things twice
Oh, mama, can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues againOh, mama, can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues againHey Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm not sleepy and there is no place I'm going to
Hey Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I'll come followin' youThough I know that evening's empire has returned into sand
Vanished from my hand
Left me blindly here to stand
But still not sleeping
My weariness amazes me
I'm branded on my feet
I have no one to meet
And the ancient empty street's too dead for dreamingTake me on a trip upon your magic swirling ship
My senses have been stripped
My hands can't feel to grip
My toes too numb to step
Wait only for my boot heels to be wandering
I'm ready to go anywhere
'm ready for to fade
Into my own parade
Cast your dancing spell my way
I promise to go under itThough you might hear laughing, spinning
Swinging madly across the sun
It's not aimed at anyone
It's just escaping on the run
And but for the sky there are no fences facing
And if you hear vague traces
Of skipping reels of rhyme
To your tambourine in time
It's just a ragged clown behind
I wouldn't pay it any mind
It's just a shadow you're seeing that he's chasingThen take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind
Down the foggy ruins of time
Far past the frozen leaves
The haunted, frightened trees
Out to the windy beach
Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow
Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky
With one hand waving free
Silhouetted by the sea
Circled by the circus sands
With all memory and fate
Driven deep beneath the waves
Let me forget about today until tomorrowNow when your mother sends back all your invitations
And your father to your sister he explains
That you're tired of yourself and all of your creations
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane?
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane?Now the flower lady wants back what she has have lent you
And the smell of her roses does not remain
When all your children start to resent you
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane?
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane?Now when all the clowns that you have commissioned
Have all died in battle or in vain
And you find yourself sick of all this repetition
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane?
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane?Now when all of your advisers heave their plastic
At your feet to convince you of your pain
Trying to prove that your conclusions should be more drastic
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane?
Won't you come see me, Queen JaWell, they'll stone ya when you're trying to be so good
They'll stone ya just a-like they said they would
They'll stone ya when you're tryin' to go home
Then they'll stone ya when you're there all alone
But I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned
Well, they'll stone ya when you're walkin' 'long the street
They'll stone ya when you're tryin' to keep your seat
They'll stone ya when you're walkin' on the floor
They'll stone ya when you're walkin' to the door
But I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned
They'll stone ya when you're at the breakfast table
They'll stone ya when you are young and able
They'll stone ya when you're tryin' to make a buck
They'll stone ya and then they'll say, "good luck"
Tell ya what, I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned
She's got everything she needs,
She's an artist, she don't look back.
She's got everything she needs,
She's an artist, she don't look back.
She can take the dark out of the nighttime
And paint the daytime black.You will start out standing
Proud to steal her anything she sees.
You will start out standing
Proud to steal her anything she sees.
But you will wind up peeking through her keyhole
Down upon your knees.She never stumbles,
She's got no place to fall.
She never stumbles,
She's got no place to fall.
She's nobody's child,
The Law can't touch her at all.She wears an Egyptian ring
That sparkles before she speaks.
She wears an Egyptian ring
That sparkles before she speaks.
She's a hypnotist collector,
You are a walking antique.Bow down to her on Sunday,
Salute her when her birthday comes.
Bow down to her on Sunday,
Salute her when her birthday comes.
For Halloween give her a trumpet
And for Christmas, buy her a drum.'Twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood
When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud
I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form
"Come in," she said
"I'll give you shelter from the storm"And if I pass this way again, you can rest assured
I'll always do my best for her, on that I give my word
In a world of steel-eyed death, and men who are fighting to be warm
"Come in," she said
"I'll give you shelter from the storm"Not a word was spoke between us, there was little risk involved
Everything up to that point had been left unresolved
Try imagining a place where it's always safe and warm
"Come in,"she said
"I'll give you shelter from the storm"I was burned out from exhaustion, buried in the hail
Poisoned in the bushes an' blown out on the trail
Hunted like a crocodile, ravaged in the corn
"Come in," she said
"I'll give you shelter from the storm"Suddenly I turned around and she was standin' there
With silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair
She walked up to me so gracefully and took my crown of thorns
"Come in," she said
"I'll give you shelter from the storm"Now there's a wall between us, somethin' there's been lost
I took too much for granted, got my signals crossed
Just to think that it all began on a long-forgotten morn
"Come in," she said
"I'll give you shelter from the storm"Well, the deputy walks on hard nails and the preacher rides a mount
But nothing really matters much, it's doom alone that counts
And the one-eyed undertaker, he blows a futile horn
"Come in," she said
"I'll give you shelter from the storm"I've heard newborn babies wailin' like a mournin' dove
And old men with broken teeth stranded without love
Do I understand your question, man, is it hopeless and forlorn?
"Come in," she said
"I'll give you shelter from the storm"In a little hilltop village, they gambled for my clothes
I bargained for salvation an' they gave me a lethal dose
I offered up my innocence and got repaid with scorn
"Come in," she said
"I'll give you shelter from the storm"Well, I'm livin' in a foreign country but I'm bound to cross the line
Beauty walks a razor's edge, someday I'll make it mine
If I could only turn back the clock to when God and her were born
"Come in," she said
"I'll give you shelter from the storm"They sat together in the park (note 1)
As the evening sky grew dark
She looked at him and he felt a spark tingle to his bones
'Twas then he felt alone and wished that he'd gone straight
And watched out for a simple twist of fate (note 2)They walked along by the old canal
A little confused, I remember well
And stopped into a strange hotel with a neon burnin' bright
He felt the heat of the night hit him like a freight train
Moving with a simple twist of fateA saxophone someplace far off played (note 3)
As she was walkin' by the arcade
As the light bust through a beat-up shade where he was wakin' up
She dropped a coin into the cup of a blind man at the gate
And forgot about a simple twist of fateHe woke up, the room was bare (note 4)
He didn't see her anywhere
He told himself he didn't care, pushed the window open wide
Felt an emptiness inside to which he just could not relate
Brought on by a simple twist of fateHe hears the ticking of the clocks (note 5)
And walks along with a parrot that talks
Hunts her down by the waterfront docks where the sailors all come in
Maybe she'll pick him out again, how long he must wait
Once more for a simple twist of fatePeople tell me it's a sin
To know and feel too much within (note 6)
I still believe she was my twin, but I lost the ring
She was born in the spring, but I was born too late
Blame it on a simple twist of fateSometimes I feel so low-down and disgusted
Can't help but wonder what's happenin' to my companions
Are they lost or are they found, have they counted the cost it'll take to bring down
All their earthly principles they're gonna have to abandon?And there's a slow, slow train comin' up around the bend
I had a woman down in Alabama
She was a backwoods girl, but she sure was realistic
She said, "Boy, without a doubt have to quit your mess and straighten out
You could die down here be just another accident statistic"All that foreign oil controlling American soil
Look around you, it's just bound to make you embarrassed
Sheiks walkin' around like kings, wearing fancy jewels and nose rings
Deciding America's future from Amsterdam and to ParisMan's ego is inflated, his laws are outdated, they don't apply no more
You can't rely no more to be standin' around waitin'
In the home of the brave, Jefferson turnin' over in his grave
Fools glorifying themselves, trying to manipulate SatanBig-time negotiators, false healers and woman haters
Masters of the bluff and masters of the proposition
But the enemy I see wears a cloak of decency
All non-believers and men stealers talkin' in the name of religionPeople starving and thirsting, grain elevators are bursting
You know it costs more to store the food than it does to give it
They say lose your inhibitions, follow your own ambitions
They talk about a life of brotherly love, show me someone who knows how to live itWell, my baby went to Illinois with some bad-talkin' boy she could destroy
A real suicide case, but there was nothin' I could do to stop it
I don't care about economy, I don't care about astronomy
But it's sure to bother me to see my loved ones turning into puppetsEarly one morning the sun was shinin'
I was layin' in bed (note 1)
Wondering if she'd changed at all
If her hair was still red
Her folks they said that our lives together
Sure was gonna be rough
They never did like Mama's home-made dress
Papa's bank book wasn't big enough
And I was standing on the side of the road
Rain falling on my shoes
Heading out for the old east coast
Lord knows I've paid some dues (note 2)
Getting through
Tangled up in blueShe was married when we first met (note 3)
Soon to be divorced
I helped her out of a jam I guess
But I used a little too much force
We drove that car as far as we could
Abandoned it out west
Split up on the docks that night
Both agreeing it was best
She turned around to look at me
As I was walking away
I heard her say over her shoulder
We'll meet again some day
On the avenue
Tangled up in BlueI had a job in the great north woods (note 4)
Working as a cook for a spell
But I never did like it all that much
And one day the axe just fell
So I drifted down to New Orleans
My luck it was to be employed
Workin' for a while on a fishing boat
Right outside of Delacroix
But all the while I was alone
The past was close behind
I seen a lot of women
But she never escaped my mind
And I just grew
Tangled up in blueShe was working in topless place (note 5)
And I stopped in for a beer
I just kept looking at the side of her face
In the spotlight so clear
And later on when the crowd thinned out
I was just about to do the same
She was standing there in back of my chair
Said to me Don't I know your name
I muttered something underneath my breath
She studied the lines on my face
I must admit I felt a little uneasy
When she bent down to tie the laces
Of my shoe
Tangled up in blueShe lit a burner on the stove
And offered me a pipe
I thought you'd never say hello she said
You look like the silent type
Then open up a book of poems
And handed it to me
Written by an Italian poet
From the thirteenth century
And every one of them words rang true
And glowed like burning coal
Pourin' off of every page
Like it was written in my soul
From me to you
Tangled up in blueI lived with them on Montague Street
In a basement down the stairs
There was music in the cafes at night
And revolution in the air
Then he started dealing in slaves
And something inside of him died
She had to sell everything she owned
And froze up inside
And when finally the bottom fell out (note 6)
I became withdrawn
The only thing I knew how to do
Was to keep on keeping on
Like a bird that flew
Tangled up in blueSo now I'm going on back again
I got to get to her somehow
All the people we used to know
They're an illusion to me now
Some are mathematicians
Some are carpenters wives
Don't know how it all got started
I don't know what they do with their lives
But me, I'm still on the road
Headin' for another joint
We always did feel the same
We just saw it from a different point
Of view
Tangled up in blueTangled up in blue
Tangled up in blue
[etc]Well, Frankie Lee and Judas Priest
They were the best of friends
So when Frankie Lee needed money one day
Judas quickly pulled out a roll of tens
And placed them on a footstool
Just above the plotted plain
Sayin', "Take your pick, Frankie Boy
My loss will be your gain"Well, Frankie Lee, he sat right down
And put his fingers to his chin
But with the cold eyes of Judas on him
His head began to spin
"Would you please not stare at me like that," he said
"It's just my foolish pride
But sometimes a man must be alone
And this is no place to hide"Well, Judas, he just winked and said
"All right, I'll leave you here
But you'd better hurry up and choose
Which of those bills you want
Before they all disappear"
"I'm gonna start my pickin' right now
Just tell me where you'll be"
Judas pointed down the road
And said, "Eternity"
"Eternity?" said Frankie Lee
With a voice as cold as ice
"That's right," said Judas Priest, "Eternity
Though some might call it 'Paradise'"
"I don't call it anything"
Said Frankie Lee with a smile
"All right," said Judas Priest
"I'll see you after a while"
Well, Frankie Lee, he sat back down
Feelin' low and mean
When just then a passing stranger
Burst upon the scene
Saying, "Are you Frankie Lee, the gambler
Whose father is deceased?
Well, if you are
There's a fellow callin' you down the road
And they say his name is Priest"
"Oh, yes, he is my friend"
Said Frankie Lee in fright
"I do recall him very well
In fact, he just left my sight"
"Yes, that's the one," said the stranger
As quiet as a mouse
"Well, my message is, he's down the road
But he's stranded in a house"
Well, Frankie Lee, he panicked
He dropped ev'rything and ran
Until he came up to the spot
Where Judas Priest did stand
"What kind of house is this," he said
"Where I have come to roam?"
"It's not a house," said Judas Priest
"It's not a house, it's a home"
Well, Frankie Lee, he trembled
He soon lost all control
Over everything which he had made
While the mission bells did toll
He just stood there staring at that big house
As bright as any sun
With four and twenty windows
And a woman's face in ev'ry one
Well, up the stairs ran Frankie Lee
With a soulful, bounding leap
And foaming at the mouth
He began to make his midnight creep
For sixteen nights and days he raved
But on the seventeenth he burst
Into the arms of Judas Priest
Which is where he died of thirst
No one tried to say a thing
When they carried him out in jest
Except, of course, the little neighbor boy
Who carried him to rest
And he just walked along, alone
With his guilt so well concealed
And muttered underneath his breath
"Nothing is revealed"
Well, the moral of the story
The moral of this song
Is simply that one should never be
Where one does not belong
So when you see your neighbor carryin' somethin'
Go and help him with his load
And don't go mistaking Paradise
For that home across the road
Everybody's building ships and boats
Some are building monuments
And some are jotting down notes
Everybody's in despair
Every girl and boy
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here
Everybody's gonna jump for joyChorus Come on without, come on within
You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn
Come on without, come on within
You'll not see nothing like the mighty QuinnI like to do just like the rest, I like my sugar sweet (note 1)
But jumping queues and making haste
Just ain't my cup of meat
Everybody's 'neath the trees
Feeding pigeons on a limb
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here
All the pigeons gonna run to himIf you do what I want you to, I can't decide in my heart (note 2)
Tell me where to put it, and I'll tell you who to call
No one can get no sleep, with someone on everyone's toes
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here
Everybody's gonna want a doseCome gather round people wherever you roam
And admit that the waters around you have grown
And accept it that soon you'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth saving
Then you'd better start swimming or you'll sink like a stone
For the times, they are a changingCome writers and critics who prophesize with your pens
And keep your eyes open, the chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon, the wheel's still in spin
And there's no telling who that it's naming
Oh the loser will be later to win
For the times, they are a changingCome senators, congressmen, please head the call (note 1)
Don't stand in the doorway, don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt will be her that has stalled
The battle outside ragging will soon shake your windows
And rattle your hall
For the times, they are a changingCome mothers and fathers all over this land
And don't criticize what you can't understand
Your sons and your daughter are beyond your command
Your old role is rapidly aging
Please get out of the new one if you can't lend a hand
For the times they are a changingThe line, it is drawn, the curse, it is cast
The slow one will later be fast
And the present now will soon be the past (note 2)
The order is rapidly fading
The first one now will later be last
For the times, they are a changingThere was a wicked messenger
From Eli he did come
With a mind that multiplied
The smallest matter
When questioned who had sent for him
He answered with his thumb
For his tongue it could not speak, but only flatterHe stayed behind the assembly hall
It was there he made his bed
Offentimes he could be seen returning
Until one day he just appeared
With a note in his hand which read
"The soles of my my feet, I swear theyre burning"Oh, the leaves began to fallin
And the seas began to part
And the people that confronted him were many
And he was told but these few words
Which opened up his heart
"If ye cannot bring good news, the dont bring any"If today was not an endless highway
If tonight was not a crooked trail
If tomorrow wasn't such a long time
Then lonesome would mean nothing to me at allYes and only if my own true love was waiting
And if I could hear her heart softly pounding
Only if she was lying by me
Would I lie in my bed once againI can't see my reflection in the water
I can't speak the sounds that know no pain
I can't hear the echo of my footsteps
I can't remember the sound of my own nameThere's beauty in the silver singing river
There's beauty in the sunrise in the sky
But none of these and nothing else can match the beauty
That I remember in my true love's eyesAin't it just like the night to play tricks when you're tryin' to be so quiet?
Sitting here stranded, though we're all doin' our best to deny it
And Louise holds a handful of rain, temptin' you to defy it
Lights flicker from the opposite loft
In this room the heat pipes just cough
The country music station plays soft
But there's nothing, really nothing, to turn off
Just Louise and her lover so entwined
And these visions of Johanna that conquer my mindIn the empty lot where the ladies play blindman's bluff with a key chain
And all-night girls they whisper of escapades out on the "D" train
We can hear the night watchman click his flashlight
Ask himself if it's him or them that's insane
But Louise she's alright, she's just near
She's delicate and seems like the mirror
She just makes it all so concise and so clear
That Johanna's not here
The ghost of electricity howls in the bones of her face
Where these visions of Johanna have now taken my placeNow, little boy lost, he takes himself so seriously
He brags of his misery, he likes to live dangerously (note 1)
And when bringing her name up, he speaks of her farewell kiss to me
He's sure got a lot of gall, to be so useless and all
Muttering small talk at the wall, while I'm in the hall
How can I explain? It's so hard to get on
And these visions of Johanna they kept me up past the dawnInside the museums, Infinity goes up on trial
Voices echo this is what salvation must be like after a while
Mona Lisa must have had the highway blues, you can tell by the way she smiles
See the primitive wallflower freeze
When the jelly-faced women all sneeze
Hear the one with the mustache say "Jeeze, I can't find my knees"
Jewels and binoculars hang from the head of the mule
But these visions of Johanna make it all seem so cruelThe peddlar now speaks to the countess who's pretending to care for him
Saying "Name me someone that's not a parasite and I'll go out and say a prayer for him"
But like Louise always says "Ya can't look at much can ya man?"
As she, herself, prepares for him
And Madonna she still has not showed
We see this empty cage now corrode
Where her cape of the stage once had flowed
The fiddler now steps to the road
He writes everything's been returned which was owed
On the back of the fish truck that loads
While my conscience explodes
The harmonicas play the skeleton keys and the rain
And these visions of Johanna are now all that remainAnd these visions of Johanna are now all that remain
What's the matter with me? I don't have much to say
Daylight's sneaking' through the window
And I'm still in this all night cafe
Walking to and fro beneath the moon
Out to where the trucks are rolling slow
Sit out on this bank of sand and watch the river flowWish I was back in the city instead of this old bank of sand
With the sun beatin' down over the chimney tops
And the one I love so close at hand
If I had wings and I could fly, I know where I would go
But right now I just sit here so contentedly (note 1)
And watch the river flowPeople disagreein' on just about everything, yeah (note 2)
Makes you stop and wonder why
Why only yesterday I saw someone on the street
Who just couldn't help but cryOh, but this old river keeps on rollin' though
No matter what gets in the way and which was the wind does blow
And as long as it does I just sit here
And watch the river flowPeople disagreein' everywhere you look
Makes you want to stop and read a book
Why only yesterday I saw somebody on the street
That was really shookWatch the river flow, watching the river flow
Watching the river flow
Well, I just sit out on this bank of sand
And watch the river flowOh, the streets of Rome are filled with rubble
Ancient footprints are everywhere
Well you can almost think that you're seein' double
On a cold dark night on the Spanish Stairs
Got to hurry on back to my hotel room
Where I've got me a date with Botticelli's niece
She promised she'd be right there with me
When I paint my masterpieceOh, the hours I've spent inside the Coliseum
Dodging lions and wastin' time
Oh, those mighty kings of the jungle
I can hardly stand to see 'em
Well, it sure has been a long hard ride (note 1)
Train wheels runnin' through the back of my memory
When I ran on the hilltop following a pack of wild geese
Someday, life will be sweet like a rhapsody (note 2)
When I paint my masterpieceSailin' 'round the world in a dirty gondola (note 3)
Oh, to be back in the land of Coca-ColaI left Rome and landed in Brussels
On a plane ride so bumpy that I almost cried
Clergymen in uniform and young girls pullin' muscles
Everyone was there to greet me when I stepped inside (note 4)
Newspapermen eating candy
Had to be held down by big police
Someday, everything is gonna be diff'rent
When I paint my masterpieceSomeday, everything is gonna be diff'rent
When I paint my masterpiece
When I paint my masterpiece