"Desolation Row" lyrics

They're selling postcards of the hanging
They're painting the passports brown
The beauty parlor is all filled with sailors
You know, the circus is in town
Here comes the blind commissioner
They've got him in a trance
One hand is tied to the tight-rope walker
You know, the other one is in his pants
And the riot squad they're restless
They need someplace to go
As Lady and I look out tonight
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 immaculately frightful
He bummed a cigarette
He went off sniffing drainpipes
He was reciting the alphabet
You would not think just to look at him
That he was famous long ago
For playing the electric violin
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
Now, here comes Romeo and he's moaning
"You Belong to Me I Believe"
And then someone says, "You're in the wrong place, my friend
You'd better leave"
They all play on the penny whistle
You can hear them blow
If you lean your head out far enough
In Desolation Row

Cinderella, she looks so easy
"It takes one to know one," she smiles
And she sticks her hands in her back pockets
Bette Davis style
To her, death is quite romantic
She wears an iron vest
Her profession is her religion
You know, her sin is her lifelessness
And the only sound that you can hear
After the ambulances go
Is Cinderella sweeping up
On Desolation Row

Yeah, you know I got your letter yesterday
About the time the door knob broke
When you asked how I was doing
Was that some kind of joke?
All these people that you mention
Yes, I know them, they're quite lame
I had to rearrange their faces
And I gave them all another name
Right now I don't feel too good
Don't send me no more letters, no
Not unless you mail them
From Desolation Row
Right now I don't feel too good
Don't send me no more letters, no
Not unless you mail them
From Desolation Row