Desolation Row

They're selling postcards of the hanging
And they're painting the passports brown
The beauty parlor is filled with sailors
The circus is in town
And now well here comes the blind commissioner
They've got him in a trance
One hand is tied to the tight-rope walker
The other is in his pants
And the riot squads are 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 she puts her hands in her back pockets
Bette Taylor style
And now here 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 go
Is Cinderella sweeping up
On Desolation Row.

Now at midnight all the agents
And the superhuman crew
Go out and round up everyone
That knows more than they do
So come on bring them 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 letters no
Not unless you gotta mail them
From Desolation Row.