They're selling postcards of the hanging
Well, they're painting the passports brown
And the beauty parlor's filled with sailors
The circus is in town

Oh now look, here comes the blind commissioner
Well, they got him in a trance
One hand is tied to the tight-rope walker
The other's 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 seem so easy
"Well it takes one to know one," she smiles
And she puts her hands in her back pockets
Oh, Bette Davis 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 then the only sound that's left
After the ambulances go
Is Cinderella sweepin' up
On Desolation Row

Now at midnight all the agents
And superhuman crew
Go out and round up everyone
That knows more than they do
(Knows more than they do)

They're 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 no one is escaping
To Desolation Row

'Cause right now I can't read too good
Don't send me no letters, no
Not unless you're gonna mail them
From Desolation Row