Desolation Row

They're selling postcards of the hanging
Where they're painting the passports brown
Yeah, the beauty parlor's filled with sailors
The circus is in town

Now but here comes the blind commissioner
Well, they 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

Cinderella she seems so easy
"Well, it takes one to know one" she smiles
And puts her hands in her back pockets
Betty Davis style

Now but in comes Romeo moaning
"You belong to me I believe"
And someone says
"You're in the wrong place my friend
You better leave"

And the only sound that's left
After the ambulances goes
Is Cinderella sweeping up
On Desolation Row

Now at midnight all the agents
And the super-human crew
Go out and round up everyone
That knows more than they do

They gonna bring 'em 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

Right now I can't read too good
Don't send me no more letters no
Not unless you gotta mail them
From Desolation Row