They're selling postcards of the hanging Where they're painting the passports brown Yeah, the beauty parlor's filled with sailors The circus is in town Now but here comes the blind commissioner Well, they got him in a trance One hand is tied to the tight-rope 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 From Desolation Row Cinderella she seems so easy "Well, it takes one to know one" she smiles And puts her hands in her back pockets Betty Davis style Now but in 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 goes Is Cinderella sweeping up On Desolation Row Now at midnight all the agents And the super-human crew Go out and round up everyone That knows more than they do They gonna bring 'em 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 more letters no Not unless you gotta mail them From Desolation Row