Bob Dylan

• Desolation row
• Farewell Angelina

Desolation Row (1965)

They're selling postcards of the hanging, 
            they're painting the passports brown, 
The beauty parlour's filled with 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 on Desolation Row.  

Cinderella she seem so easy. It takes one to know one, she smiles. 
Then puts her hand in her back pocket, Bette Davies style. 
Then in comes Romeo he's 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 go 
Is Cinderella sweeping up on Desolation Row.  

Now the moon is almost hidden, 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 
Everyone is making love or else expecting rain 
And the Good Samaritan he's dressing, he's gettin ready for the show. 
He's going to the carnival tonight 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 eyes are fixed upon Noah's great rainbow 
She spends her time peeking into 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 went off sniffing drain pipes and reciting the alphabet.
No, you would not think to look at him, but  he was famous long ago 
For playing the electric violin on Desolation Row.  

Doctor Filth he keeps his world inside of a leather cup 
And all his sexless patients are 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 from Desolation Row  

Across the street they've nailed the curtains, they're gettin ready
                             for the feast 
The Phantom of the  Opera in the perfect image of a priest 
They're spoonfeeding Casonova to get him to feel more assured 
Then they'll kill him with self confidence after poisoning him with words
And the Phantom shouting to skinny girls ``Get out of here if you
   don't you know  
Casanova is just being punished for going to Desolation Row.''  

Now at midnight all the agents and the superhuman crews 
Go out and round up everyone that knows more than they do. 
Then they bring them to the factory where the heart attack machines 
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  

Praise be to Nero's Neptune and the Titanic sails at dawn 
Everybody 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 hold flowers
Between the windows of the sea where lovely mermaids flow 
And nobody has to think too much about Desolation Row  

Yes, I received your letter yesterday, about the time the doorknob broke. 
When you asked me how I was doing, was that some kind of joke? 
All those people 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 letters, no 
Not unless you mail them from Desolation Row.  

Farewell Angelina (1965)

                  
Farewell Angelina, the bells of the crown
Are being stolen by bandits, I must follow the sound
The triangle tingles and the trumpets play slow
Farewell Angelina, the sky is on fire and I must go

There's no need for anger, there's no need for blame
There's nothing to prove, everything's still the same
Just a table standing empty by the edge of the sea
Farewell Angelina, the sky is trembling and I must leave

The jacks and the queens have forsaken the courtyard
Fifty two gypsies now file past the guards
In the space where the ace and the deuce once ran wild
Farewell Angelina, the sky is folding, I will see you in awhile

See the cross-eyed pirates sitting perched in the sun
Shooting tin cans with a sawed off shotgun
And the neighbours they clap and they cheer with each blast
Farewell Angelina, the sky's changing color, and I must leave fast

King Kong little elves on the rooftop they dance
Valentino-type tangos while the makeup man's hands
Shuts the eyes of the dead not to embarass anyone
Farewell Angelina, the sky is embarassed and I must be gone

The machine guns are roaring, the puppets heave rocks
The fiends nail time bombs to the hands of the clocks
Call me any name you like I will never deny it
Farewell Angelina, the sky is erupting I must go where it's quiet