Tom: D D They're selling postcards of the hanging. G D They're painting the passports brown. A7 The beauty parlour's filled with sailors. G D The circus is in town. D Here comes the blind commissioner. G D They've got him in a trance. A7 One hand's tied to the tightrope walker. G D The other is in his pants. G And the riot squad they're restless D They need some where to go. D A7 As lady and I look out tonight G D On Desolation Row. D Cinderella she seem so easy. G D It takes on to know one she smiles. A7 Then puts her hand in her back pocket, G D Betty Davis style. D Then in comes Romeo he's moaning. G D You Belong to me I believe. A7 And someone says your in the wrong place my friend G D You better leave. G And the only sound that's left D After the ambulances go. D A7 Is Cinderella sweeping up G D On Desolation Row. D Now the moon is almost hidden G D The stars are beginning to hide A7 The fortune telling lady G D Has already taken all her things inside. D All except for Cane and Able G D And the Hunch Back of Notre Dame A7 Everyone is making love G D Or else expecting rain G And the good Samaritan he's dressing D He's gettin ready for the show. D A7 He's going to the carnival G D Tonight on Desolation Row. D Now Ophelia she's 'neath the window. G D For her I feel so afraid. A7 On her twenty-second birthday G D She already is an old maid. D To her death is quite romantic. G D She wears an iron vest. A7 Her profession's her religion, G D Her sin is her lifelessness. G And though her eyes are fixed upon D Noah's great rainbow D A7 She spends her time peeking G D Into Desolation Row. D Einstein disguised as Robin Hood G D With his memories in a trunk A7 Passed this way an hour ago G D With his friend a jealous monk. D He looked so frightful G D As he bummed a cigarette A7 Then went off sniffing drain pipes G D And reciting the alphabet. G No you would not think to look at him D That he was famous long ago D A7 For playing electric violin G D On Desolation Row. D Doctor filth he keeps his word G D Inside a leather cup A7 But all his sexless patients G D Are trying to blow it up. D Now his nurse a local looser G D She's in charge of the cyanide hole A7 And she also keeps the cards that read G D Have mercy on his soul. G They all play on penny whistles D You can hear them blow D A7 If you lean your head out far enough G D From Desolation Row D Across the street they've nailed the curtains G D They're gettin ready for the feast A7 The phantom of the opera G D A perfect image of a priest D They're spoon feedin Casanova G D To get him to feel more assured A7 Then they'll killed him with self confidence G D After poisoning him with words G And the phantom shouting to skinning girls D Get outta her don't you know D A7 Casanova is just being punished G D For going to Desolation Row. D Now at midnight all the agents G D And the superhuman crews A7 Round up everyone G D That knows more than they do. D Then they bring them to the factory G D Where the heart attack machines A7 Is strapped across their shoulders G D And then the kerosene G Is brought down from the castles D By insurance men that go D A7 Check to see that nobody is escaping G D To Desolation Row D Praise be to Nero's Neptune G D The Titanic sails at dawn A7 And everybody shouting G D Which side are you on D And Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot G D Fighting in the captains tower A7 While calypso signers laugh at them G D And fishermen hold flowers G Between the windows of the sea D Where lovely mermaids flow D A7 And nobody has to think too much G D About Desolation Row D Yes I received your letter yesterday G D About the time the door knob broke. A7 When you asked me how I was G D Was that some kind of joke. D All those people that you mention G D Yes I know them they're quite lame. A7 I had to rearrange their faces G D And give them all another name. G Right now I can't read too good D Don't send me no more letters no. D A7 Not unless you mail them from G D Desolation Row.