• Ballad of a Thin Man
    Lyrics By:
    Music By:

    You 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?

    Played several times by the Grateful Dead with Bob Dylan, but only twice without him. Weir sang it, with only minor variations on the original Dylan lyrics.

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Played several times by the Grateful Dead with Bob Dylan, but only twice without him. Weir sang it, with only minor variations on the original Dylan lyrics.

Lyrics By
Bob Dylan
Music By
Bob Dylan
Lyrics

You 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?