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Version 1 Version 2 Version 3 Version 4 Version 6 Version 7 Version 8Desolation Row chords Bob Dylan E E E Esus4 E 2x [Verse 1] E They're selling postcards of the hanging, A E they're painting the passports brown; B7 the beauty parlor is filled with sailors, A E the circus is in town Here comes the blind commissioner, A E they've got him in a trance; B7 one hand is tied to the tight-rope walker, A E the other is in his pants A And the riot squad they're restless, E A they need somewhere to go; E B7 as lady and I look out tonight, A E E Esus4 E 3x from Desolation Row [Verse 2] E Cinderella, she seems so easy, A E "it takes one to know one," she smiles; B7 and puts her hands in her back pockets, A E Bette Davis style And in comes Romeo, he's moaning, A E "you belong to me I believe"; B7 and someone says," you're in the wrong place, my friend, A E you better leave" A And the only sound that's left, E A after the ambulances go; E B7 is Cinderella sweeping up, A E E Esus4 E 3x on Desolation Row [Verse 3] E Now the moon is almost hidden, A E the stars are beginning to hide; B7 the fortunetelling lady, A E has even taken all her things inside All except for Cain and Abel, A E and the hunchback of Notre Dame; B7 everybody is making love, A E or else expecting rain A And the Good Samaritan, he's dressing, E A he's getting ready for the show; E B7 he's going to the carnival tonight, A E E Esus4 E 3x on Desolation Row [Verse 4] E Now Ophelia, she's 'neath the window, A E for her I feel so afraid; B7 on her twenty-second birthday, A E she already is an old maid To her, death is quite romantic, A E she wears an iron vest; B7 her profession's her religion, A E her sin is her lifelessness A And though her eyes are fixed upon, E A Noah's great rainbow; E B7 she spends her time peeking, A E E Esus4 E 3x into Desolation Row [Verse 5] E Einstein, disguised as Robin Hood A E With his memories in a trunk B7 Passed this way an hour ago A E With his friend, a jealous monk He looked so immaculately frightful A E As he bummed a cigarette B7 Then he went off sniffing drainpipes A E And reciting the alphabet A Now you would not think to look at him E A But he was famous long ago E B7 For playing the electric violin A E Esus4 E 3x On Desolation Row [Verse 6] E Dr. Filth, he keeps his world A E Inside of a leather cup B7 But all his sexless patients A E They're trying to blow it up Now his nurse, some local loser A E She's in charge of the cyanide hole B7 And she also keeps the cards that read A E "Have Mercy on His Soul" A They all play on penny whistles E A You can hear them blow E B7 If you lean your head out far enough A E Esus4 E 3x From Desolation Row [Verse 7] E Across the street they've nailed the curtains A E They're getting ready for the feast B7 The Phantom of the Opera A E A perfect image of a priest They're spoon feeding Casanova A E To get him to feel more assured B7 Then they'll kill him with self-confidence A E After poisoning him with words A And the Phantom's shouting to skinny girls E A "Get Outa Here If You Don't Know E B7 Casanova is just being punished for going A E Esus4 E 3x To Desolation Row" [Verse 8] E Now at midnight all the agents A E And the superhuman crew B7 Come out and round up everyone A E That knows more than they do Then they bring them to the factory A E Where the heart-attack machine B7 Is strapped across their shoulders A E And then the kerosene A Is brought down from the castles E A By insurance men who go E B7 Check to see that nobody is escaping A E Esus4 E 3x To Desolation Row [Verse 9] E Praise be to Nero's Neptune A E The Titanic sails at dawn B7 And everybody's shouting A E "Which Side Are You On?" And Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot A E Fighting in the captain's tower B7 While calypso singers laugh at them A E And fishermen hold flowers A Between the windows of the sea E A Where lovely mermaids flow E B7 And nobody has to think too much A E E Esus4 E 3x About Desolation Row E A E B7 A E A E B7 A E A E A E B7 A E [Verse 10] E Yes, I received your letter yesterday A E (About the time the door knob broke) B7 When you asked how I was doing A E Was that some kind of joke? All these people that you mention A E Yes, I know them, they're quite lame B7 I had to rearrange their faces A E And give them all another name A Right now I can't read too good E A Don't send me no more letters no E B7 Not unless you mail them A E E Esus4 E 2x From Desolation Row E A E B7 A E A E B7 A E A E A E B7 A E Set8