Title: Ballad Of A Thin Man
Artist: Bob Dylan
Album: Hard To Find Volume 5 (Track #8)
Duration: 08:47
Label: Sony Music Entertainment
You walk into the room
With your pencil in your hand
You see somebody naked
An' you say "Who is that man?''
You try so hard
But you don't understand
Just what you will say
When you get home.
Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you mister Jones?
You raise up your head
An' you ask "Is this where it is?''
An' somebody points to you
An' says, "It's his''
An' you say, "What's mine?''
An' somebody else says, "Where what is?''
An' you say, "Oh my god
Am i here all alone?''
But something is happening here
An' you don't know what it is
Do you mister Jones?
You hand in your ticket
An' you go watch the geek
Who immediately walks up to you
When he hears you speak
An' say, "How does it feel to
Be such a freak?''
An' you say, "Impossible''
As he hands you a bone.
An' something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you mister Jones?
You have many contacts
Among the lumberjacks
To get you facts
When someone attacks our imagination
But nobody has any respect
Anyway they already expect you
To all give a check
To tax deductible charity organizations
Ah, you've been with the professors
An' they've all liked your looks
With great lawyers you have
Discussed lepers an' crooks
You've been thru all of
F.Scott Fitzgerald's books
You're very well read
It's well known.
But something is happening here
An' you don't know what it is
Do you mister Jones?
Well the sword swallower he
Walks up to you an' then he kneels
He crosses himself an' then he
Clicks his high heels
An' without further notice
He asks you how it feels
An' he says, "Here is your throat back
Thanks for the loan.''
An' you know something is happening
But you don't know what it is
Do you mister Jones?
Now you see this one eyed midget
Shoutin' the word "Now''
An' you say, "For what reason?''
An' he says, "How?''
An' you say, "What does this mean?''
An' he screams back, "You're a cow
Give me some milk
Or else go home.''
An' you know something is happening
But you don't know what it is
Do you mister Jones?
Well you walk into the room
Like a camel an' then you frown
You put your eyes in your pocket
An' your nose on the ground
There oughta be a law
Against you comin' around
You should made to wear earphones.
'Cause something is happening
An' you don't know what it is
Do you mister Jones?
Tracks:
My Blue Eyed Jane (1)
My Blue Eyed Jane (2)
Love Sick (3)
Grammy Acceptance Speech (3)
Shelter From The Storm (4)
My Back Pages (5)
Tombstone Blues (5)
Ballad Of A Thin Man (5)
Boots Of Spanish Leather (5)
Knockin' On Heaven's Door (6)
Highway 61 Revisited (6)
I Shall Be Released (7)
Mr Tambourine Man (8)
Soon (9)
source:
(1) Outtake from 1994 Jimmie Rodgers tribute
(2) Ardent Studios, Memphis 1994
(outtake version w/Emmylou Harris)
(3) Grammys - Radio City Music Hall 2/25/98
(4) Pirated official release. Jerry Maguire Sndtrk
(5) Live '96 From "Pink CD" A 4 track USA promo
(6) Live in LA 12/19/97 w/Sheryl Crow gitr. & bv.
(7) Live in London 3/30/95 w/Elvis Costello
(8) Mr Tambourine Man (w/Ramblin' Jack - 1964)
(9) Gershwin tribute June 1987 (7 stars)