Esus E Intro
EThey’re selling postcards of the hanging... AThey’re painting the passports Ebrown
BThe beauty parlor is filled with sailors... AThe circus is in Etown
EWell in walks the blind commissioner... AThey’ve got him in a tranceE
One hand is Btied to the tight-rope walker... AThe other is in his pantsE
And the Ariot squad they’re restless They Eneed somewhere to Ago
As ELady and I look Bout tonight... ADesolation Row E
ECinderella, she seems so easy “It Atakes one to know one,” she smiles
Bputs her hands in her back pockets ABette Davis styleE
EAnd in walks Romeo, he’s moaning ..“You ABelong to Me I BeElieve”
And Bsomeone says, “You’re in the wrong place my friend... AYou better Eleave”
And the Aonly sound you can hear EAfter the ambulances Agone
Is ECinderella Bsweeping up On ADesolation RowE
ENow Ophelia, she’s ’neath the window ...AFor her I feel so aEfraid
On her Btwenty-second birthday ...AShe already is an old maidE
For Eher, death is quite romantic ...AShe wears an iron vest E
Her Bprofession’s her religion ...Her Asin is her lifelessness E
And Athough her gaze is fixed upon ENoah’s great rainbowA
EShe spends her time Bpeeking Into ADesolation Row
EEinstein, disguised as Robin Hood...AWith his memories in a trunk E
BPassed this way an hour ago ...AWith his friend, a jealous monkE
EWhoa He looked so immaculately frightful ...AAs he bummed a cigarette E
Then he Bwent off sniffing drainpipes... And Areciting the alphabet E
Oh you Awouldnt think to look at him ...But he was Efamous long agoA
For Eplaying the electric Bviolin On ADesolation Row
ENow the moon is almost hidden ...AThe stars are beginning to hideE
The Bfortune-telling ladies ...All have Ataken all her things insideE
EAll except for Cain and Abel ....And the Ahunchback of Notre DameE
BEverybody is making love ....AOr else expecting rainE
And Athe Good Samaritan, he’s dressing.... He’s getting Eready for the show A
He’sE going to the carnivalB tonight ...On ADesolation Row
EDr. Filth, he keeps his world.... AInside of a leather cupE
BBut all his sexless patients ...They’re all Atrying to pull it up E
Ehis nurse, some local loser ...AShe’s in charge of the cyanide holeE
Bshe also keeps the cards that read ...“Have AMercy on His Soul”E
They Aall play on the pennywhistles ...yes and EYou can hear them Ablow
EIf you lean your head outB far enough From ADesolation RowE
Solo 1x Through
EAcross the street they’ve nailed the curtains ...AThey’re getting ready for the feastE
The BPhantom of the Opera ...In the Aperfect image of a priest E
EThey’re spoonfeeding Casanova ...To Aget him to feel more asEsured
Then they’ll Bkill him with self-confidence ....After Apoisoning him with wordsE
And Athe Phantom’s shouting to skinny girls ....E“Get Outa Here If You Don’t AKnow
CasaEnova is just being puniBshed for going To ADesolation Row”E
ENow at midnight all the agents.... And the Asuperhuman crewE
Come Bout and round up everyone ...AWho knows more than they doE
EAnd they take them to the factory ....Where the Aheart-attack machineE
Is Bstrapped across their shoulders ...AAnd then the kerosene E
broughtA down from the castles ...EBy insurance men who Ago
EMake sure that nobody is Bescaping To ADesolation RowE
Solo
EPraise be to Nero’s Neptune ...The ATitanic sails at dawnE
BAnd everybody’s talking about ...“AWhich Side Are You On?”E
EAnd Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot ...Theyre Afighting in the captain’s tower E
WhileB calypso singers laugh at them ...Afishermen hold flowersE
ABetween the windows of the sea ...EWhere lovely mermaids Aflow
EAnd no one has to Bthink too much AAbout Desolation Row E
EYes, I received your letter yesterday... AAbout the time the doorknob brokeE
BWhen you asked how I was doing... AWas that some kind of joke? E
EAll these people that you mention ...AYes, I know them, they’re quite lame E
I had to Brearrange their faces ... Agive them all another name E
ARight now I can’t read so good ...Don’t send Eme no more letters no A
ENot unless you Bsend them From ADesolation Row
Solo/Melody 1x through