Friday, October 20, 2006

Desolation Row Deux

The dawn at last is breaking
Rapunzel sweeps up the glass
This all happened before in another life
But what is past is past
She cut off her hair ten years ago
For a knight who had to go
Now she wears a shawl around her skull
So he'll never have to know

All the dead will at last be counted
They'll all get their share of blame
Next time around the world has to end
Don't forget to get on the plane
Read all the instructions carefully
It's a one-way ticket you know
We'll be landing in another minute
Down on Desolation Row

Dr. Hyde turns into Jekyll
Nobody even cares
Love dogged his heels when he'd lost his mind
And he could make it down the stairs
Now he's lost the ancient formula
It's in the hands of Mister Poe
Who's been cheating on the Raven
With Lenore and her sister Flo

Don't talk to the man in the overcoat
Burn the story of my life
When the Good Earth wakes up
On the wrong side of bed
Best to hide a bowl of rice
The locusts they're all coming in
They know exactly where to go
They'll be hanging out with the snakes and frogs
Down on Desolation Row.

The Doomsday Clock is ticking
I wound it just the other night
It' been five minutes before midnight
Since 1955
The Four Horsemen they don't scare me no more
I¹ve seen 'em off the stage
Famine wants a bigger percentage
Death's tearing out the review page
Hide your Bowie knife and your Tarot cards
Paste a smile upon your rage
The working girls can all see through you
But they get paid a different wage

You always rooted for the Saints to win the game
Now here's the joke that you don't know
That ain't the side you been playing on
Down on Desolation Row