Bob Dylan - Tombstone Blues Lyrics






The sweet pretty things are in bed now of course
The city fathers they're trying to endorse
The reincarnation of Paul Revere's horse
But the town has no need to be nervous.

The ghost of Belle Starr she hands down her wits
To Jezebel the nun she violently knits
A bald wig for Jack the Ripper who sits
At the head of the chamber of commerce.

Mama's in the fact'ry
She ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley
He's lookin' for food
I'm in the kitchen
With the tombstone blues.

The hysterical bride in the penny arcade
Screaming she moans, "I've just been made."
Then sends out for the doctor who pulls down the shade
And says, "My advice is to not let the boys in."

Now the medicine man comes and he shuffles inside
He walks with a swagger and he says to the bride
"Stop all this weeping, swallow your pride.
You will not die, it's not poison."

Mama's in the fact'ry
She ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley
He's lookin' for food
I'm in the kitchen
With the tombstone blues.

Well, John the Baptist after torturing a thief
Looks up at his hero the Commander-in-Chief
Saying, "Tell me great hero, but please make it brief
Is there a hole for me to get sick in?"
The Commander-in-Chief answers him while chasing a fly
Saying, "Death to all those who would whimper and cry."
And dropping a bar bell he points to the sky
Saying, "The sun's not yellow it's chicken."

Mama's in the fact'ry
She ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley
He's lookin' for food
I'm in the kitchen
With the tombstone blues.

The king of the Philistines his soldiers to save
Puts jawbones on their tombstones and flatters their graves
Puts the pied pipers in prison and fattens the slaves
Then sends them out to the jungle.

Gypsy Davey with a blowtorch he burns out their camps
With his faithful slave Pedro behind him he tramps
With a fantastic collection of stamps
To win friends and influence his uncle.

Mama's in the fact'ry
She ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley
He's lookin' for food
I'm in trouble
With the tombstone blues.

The geometry of innocent flesh on the bone
Causes Galileo's math book to get thrown
At Delilah who's sitting worthlessly alone
But the tears on her cheeks are from laughter.

I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after.

Mama's in the fact'ry
She ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley
He's lookin' for food
I'm in the kitchen
With the tombstone blues.

Where Ma Raney and Beethoven once unwrapped their bed roll
Tuba players now rehearse around the flagpole
And the National Bank at a profit sells road maps for the soul
To the old folks' home in the college.

I wish I could write you a melody so plain
That could hold you, dear lady, from going insane
That could ease you and cool you and cease the pain
Of your useless and pointless knowledge

Mama's in the fact'ry
She ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley
He's lookin' for food
I'm in the kitchen
With the tombstone blues.

Alright!





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Bob Dylan Tombstone Blues Comments
  1. R.... ....

    Mike Bloomfield plays a great lead guitar in this song with his trademark Telecaster! Thanks for posting!

  2. K.... M....

    everything I say EVERYTHING in this song is perfect. PERFECT, I say!!!!

  3. D.... W....

    Fucking love you Bob

  4. R.... ....

    I must be stupid because I only understood like 30% of the lyrics.

  5. C.... R....

    WHAT DO YOU WANT ON YOUR TOMBSTONE?

  6. R.... ....

    An album word-salad of incongruous lyrics signifying nothing? Love it!

  7. m.... s....

    Stop all this weeping, swallow your pride. You will not die, its not poison. Beautiful

  8. e.... e....

    YYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAA

  9. s.... s....

    I love it when insanely iconic and respected songs and albums have weird, mysterious lyrics.

  10. R.... P....

    i must be the only one in the known Dylan universe to think this is just sheer lazy self-indulgent twaddle, a throw-away rhyming gabble just churned out that had all manner of meaning attached to it after the fact?

    to me, he can do little wrong. from his Guthrie troubador days to the revisitations of the naughties, and everything inbetween (electric funk, plaintive lament, gospel aggression, didactism, cynicism, street-preacher, a constellation of poetic diversity in song).

    but let's be honest with ourselves, people. this one, right here? it's no 'masterpiece.'

    R.... P....

    You forgot Humor. One of Bobs best traits.

    R.... P....

    Humour... wasn't relevant to this song. I suppose in an overall ouvre sense, if that's what you mean. But this is lame and weak, only stabbing at the pretense of wit rather than coming from the home itself.

  11. D.... M....

    How come nobody ever ask Bob Dylan why you sound like Dewey Cox?

  12. c.... f....

    Sounds like Bloomfield playin

  13. A.... G....

    "I wish I could write you a melody so plain/That would hold you dear lady, from going insane/That could ease you and cool you and cease the pain
    /Of your useless and pointless knowledge"

    The greatest

  14. c.... s....

    The Commander And Chief Trump talks on the TV, I always say quick is there a hole for me to get sick in....TJ STRUSKA

  15. t.... ....

    How ironic it is that #folk is in the description

  16. j.... k....

    tear it up

  17. j.... k....

    guitar shred

  18. j.... k....

    1960 shred shred

  19. j.... k....

    guitar solos

  20. j.... k....

    hahahahahaaha

  21. j.... k....

    he could die happily ever after......

  22. j.... k....

    sun not yellow its chicken

  23. j.... k....

    man what a guitar sound a blast from the past

  24. j.... k....

    mike bloomfield guitar solo playing

  25. l.... ....

    This song gave me so many one liners to use. My favorites are, "But the tears on her cheeks are from laughter," along with "To win friends and influence her uncle," and "The sun is not yellow it's chicken." Yeah!!

    l.... ....

    "The reincarnation of Paul Revere's horse."

  26. T.... B....

    Good driving music when your running late 2 work.

  27. T.... ....

    This song is urgent 😃😃😃

  28. B.... F....

    This song gives me useless and pointless knowledge

  29. M.... W....

    And the war goes on, More dead bodies piled up from Afghanistan. Trump has the next one lined up with Iran, send all your good strong men. Uncle Sam needs your help again. Got himself in a terrible jam, way down yonder in Iran.

  30. v.... ....

    My concern about having Jack the Ripper as Head of the Chamber of Commerce would be the easy access he would have to the delicate housewives of the Town.

  31. M.... A....

    RIP Mike Bloomfield

  32. B.... J....

    Useless and pointless knowledge.

  33. B.... b....

    Thia song makes me wanna wim friends and influence my uncle

  34. K.... T....

    Sold his soul to the devil. How else would he make it big???????????

    K.... T....

    Stop listening then.

    K.... T....

    +Kelly T+
    Naturally talented. Positively gifted. Ageless visionary.

  35. K.... B....

    there's a pattern to his songs. listen to how he sings and the lyrics. I should analyze it some day. haven't bothered yet cause I enjoy his work so much. that smart jewish kid with the guitar gotta be a method to his madness.

  36. S.... L....

    ♥♥♥

  37. P.... C....

    Wonderful - and as for that guitar.....

  38. G.... B....

    The sweet pretty things are in bed now, of course
    The city fathers, they're trying to endorse
    The reincarnation of Paul Revere's horse
    But the town has no need to be nervous

    The ghost of Belle Starr, she hands down her wits
    To Jezebel the nun, she violently knits
    A bald wig for Jack the Ripper, who sits
    At the head of the Chamber of Commerce

    Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes
    Daddy's in the alley, he's lookin' for food
    I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues

    The hysterical bride in the penny arcade
    Screaming, she moans, "I've just been made"
    Then sends out for the doctor, who pulls down the shade
    And says, "My advice is to not let the boys in"

    Now, the medicine man comes and he shuffles inside
    He walks with a swagger and he says to the bride
    "Stop all this weeping, swallow your pride
    You will not die, it's not poison"

    Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes
    Daddy's in the alley, he's lookin' for food
    I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues

    Well, John the Baptist, after torturing a thief
    Looks up at his hero, the Commander-in-Chief
    Saying, "Tell me, great hero, but please make it brief
    Is there a hole for me to get sick in?"

    The Commander-in-Chief answers him while chasing a fly
    Saying, "Death to all those who would whimper and cry"
    And, dropping a barbell, he points to the sky
    Saying, "The sun's not yellow, it's chicken"

    Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes
    Daddy's in the alley, he's lookin' for food
    I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues

    The king of the Philistines, his soldiers to save
    Puts jawbones on their tombstones and flatters their graves
    Puts the pied pipers in prison and fattens the slaves
    Then sends them out to the jungle

    Gypsy Davey with a blowtorch, he burns out their camps
    With his faithful slave Pedro behind him, he tramps
    With a fantastic collection of stamps
    To win friends and influence his uncle

    Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes
    Daddy's in the alley, he's lookin' for food
    I'm in trouble with the tombstone blues

    The geometry of innocence, flesh on the bone
    Causes Galileo's math book to get thrown
    At Delilah, who's sitting worthlessly alone
    But the tears on her cheeks are from laughter

    I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
    I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
    Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
    He could die happily ever after

    Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes
    Daddy's in the alley, he's lookin' for food
    I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues

    Where Ma Rainey and Beethoven once unwrapped their bedroll
    Tuba players now rehearse around the flagpole
    And the National Bank at a profit sells road maps for the soul
    To the old folks' home and the college

    Now, I wish I could write you a melody so plain
    That could hold you, dear lady, from going insane
    That could ease you and cool you and cease the pain
    Of your useless and pointless knowledge

    Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes
    Daddy's in the alley, he's lookin' for food
    I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues, oh right

    G.... B....

    Appreciate the lyrics page, but I think you have missed one of Dylan's best lines: "To the old folks home IN the college."

  39. M.... ....

    This song always had my favorite Dylan line which sums up everything we think we know..... "Useless and pointless knowledge".

  40. t.... g....

    Not to court controversy, but this song rocks.

    t.... g....

    This is primal rock n roll.

  41. M.... J....

    If my town was trying to endorse the reincarnation of Paul Revere's horse, I'd be a nervous wreck...

    M.... J....

    But it would have to be a hell of an interesting town.

  42. A.... P....

    Too bad this frenzied period of his writing seemed to come to an end after he had his motorcycle accident. But he pieced himself together with Johnny Cash's help. I think this was Dylan at his best, making fun of society as it was then, and as it is now. Actually it is even worse now, but there's no one like him to remind us of it, in such a vivid way. This was the brash Dylan who was just finding his legs and his real voice, before he crashed his bike and seemed like he also crashed his spirit of rebellion against society's BS.

  43. H.... M....

    This song sounds like riding through Dante's Inferno on a motorcycle.

    H.... M....

    great analogy

    H.... M....

    Nice man

    H.... M....

    We all like motorcycles to some degree

    H.... M....

    @Sergio Moreno I know I do.

    H.... M....

    Harrison McCartney = despite of all the danger

  44. j.... ....

    This song screams, American literature (and history) lives! and until Dylan dies it shall continue

  45. J.... S....

    This is a 60's rap song...

  46. R.... C....

    What a vision, somebody throw out the script I'm on fire with inspiration. One of my fav dylan songs.

  47. T.... L....

    I love how he says "chamber of commerce"

    T.... L....

    Yes, a derisive snarl...

  48. V.... E....

    El es el gurú ☮️

  49. P.... S....

    Thank you Brent macdowell for showing me where look for the great stuff

  50. P.... M....

    If the suns chicken then chicken is sun. Mmm sun fried steak.

  51. F.... ....

    This album is dedicated the US politics, the age of Trump and US society, 2019

  52. G.... ....

    My favorite song by him...he's basically letting the establishment people of the time have it I think. One theory is that Brother Bill is a reference to Billy Graham and his "crusades".

  53. w.... ....

    James Williamson from Iggy and the Stooges got half his playing style from this song. Everyone talks about Clapton, but it's Bloomfield that guitar players first learned to to kick ass to.

  54. J.... W....

    Great song, Bob was flying at this point, skooting around the ceiling, no-one ever caught him!

  55. M.... ....

    Where Ma Rainey and Beethoven once unwrapped their bedroll Tuba players now rehearse around the flagpole And the National Bank at a profit sells road maps for the soul To the old folks' home and the college.....

  56. R.... B....

    Every line a surreal gem delivered at a break-neck pace. And just look at that f**k you attitude in the album photo.

  57. T.... B....

    Its like the world was destroyed and I was the only survivor every single day. You can't talk to zombies. Zombies don't comfort you. Zombies can't fall in love. Zombies only eat brains. And you look so human besides that huge hole in your head that doesn't even bleed, but I must try to stop talking to the zombies, no matter how lonely life gets.

  58. G.... F....

    How the fuck does Bob Dylan know all this!!???

  59. D.... H....

    Wow, just wow. The enlightening continues at break next speed. Thank you Bob

  60. P.... D....

    This is a great song for getting an idea of how Dylan goes about writing lyrics. The lines are all stream of consciousness throw away nonsense. He probably wrote this in about 15 mins. The only thing notable is when he rhymes 'sick in' with 'chicken'. But the song more than works anyway, not because of the lyrics, but because Dylan dares the whole thing to collapse while he's singing it. And it complies, probably out of fear of what he would do if it didn't.


    Seriously, Bob? "You will not die, it's not poison"? Fortunately, his musicians decided to give him a world class effort, and his vocal is so strong that the song defies gravity and refuses to crash and burn. A lesser being would have tossed this song in the garbage and said to hell with it after about 5 mins. But Dylan clearly wanted this song to work. So it did. Sort of like Jesus wanting Lazarus to live, so he just commanded him, "Lazarus, come forth." And out came Lazarus, stinking and wrapped in rags .. but alive.

    P.... D....

    fuck off

    P.... D....

    'Swallow your pride, you will not die it's not poison', I always thought was a very clever line. More than just rhyming nonsense. I know he does that a lot, but I disagree with you here.

    P.... D....

    Yeah, you know better than those who awarded him a nobel prize. You clueless fuck!

    P.... D....

    John Bismarck Who’s the clueless f**k? They gave a Nobel to Obama too

  61. e.... s....

    This isn't from the original album. anyone?

    e.... s....

    I`m sure it is, it`s been in my head for 50 years.

    e.... s....

    Track 2

  62. e.... s....

    Does Bert Sugerman have anything to do with all this? today's the 21st correct? anyone..

  63. T.... B....

    So what is God putting into your head that you can't even get out of your room to pick up a Nobel Prize Bob? At least you have a good excuse not to pick me up unlike Bob Weir who apparently is fit as a fiddle without any mental issues whatsoever.

  64. P.... O....

    Is it just me or is Bob one cool cat

    P.... O....

    Not just you, Fuzy.

    P.... O....

    He's like, far out, man.

  65. T.... W....

    Un texte de malade..quelle memoire!

  66. T.... B....

    I'm still sure those are little pebbles that you described from your own driveway, not mine.

  67. T.... B....

    What was I saying? I'm really tired of thinking of this shit but I would be the mom, the Tibetan-Chinese-Qiang-Alexander The Great's Lost Men would be the dad and you would be who again? Bob. Right!

  68. T.... B....

    I think if you try to mentally parallel your life to Bob Dylan's songs you are in for a derailment. Like this song. That is why I like you Bob. I don't feel like I'm looking at a mirror all the time and you are completely ripping me off. Once I sold almost all of my CD's to the Record Exchange in Boise- when God's voice started to get really bad again the last time and everyone always sounded like they were talking about me and mostly in bad ways, but you lived on Bob. Though I think I did sell some CD's of yours back to them, I immediately bought some new bootleg box set- though I was still mad at the world and every single songwriter from the days of Take This Job and Shove It on, somehow you were still palatable.

  69. v.... ....

    Interesting note:
    Anyone who has read Stephen Kings' Novel "Carrie", he quotes this song at the end of the book, " I wish I could write you a melody so plain........."

    v.... ....

    u have already written three comments..

    v.... ....

    @Arcadius Kirrk Congratulations on your ability to count. Now show us you can spell.

    v.... ....

    viviandarkbloom100 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Dylan couldn’t of wrote that any better

    v.... ....

    I live near Stephen King! Lol

  70. m.... i....

    GRAZIE!!!

  71. j.... l....

    💚💙💚

  72. i.... a....

    I recently heard this album being compared to his punk rock period. Twenty years before punk happened. I can see that , its got that aggressive edge about it... ... lol another title dylan probably doesnt want tho

    i.... a....

    I heard that this was an inspiration on Lou Reed (definitely noticeable on "Run Run Run") which really cements this point.

  73. S.... H....

    is brother Bill Burroughs?

    S.... H....

    Supposedly...Billy Graham.

  74. D.... L....

    Mightier then two
    Stacks of Marshals

  75. A.... H....

    I'm in the kitchen with the Tombstone Blues!!!

  76. W.... F....

    Probably one of my favorite Dylan songs. The bizarre drum beat, wailing vocals, and twisted lyrics all tangle so neatly together. Never gets old.

    W.... F....

    Absolutely !

    W.... F....

    William Fiske I don’t it’s that bizarre of a drumbeat. It’s basically classic blues

  77. R.... C....

    Tuba players rehearsing around the flagpole and not forgetting the old folks home in the college.

  78. f.... ....

    You just know from the title he's gonna, you know, say something about the death thing.

  79. M.... S....

    Simply BRILLIANT!

  80. G.... S....

    I'd like to do what he does (in the song) to a very asinine guy I know named Bill.

  81. h.... ....

    The town has no need to be nervous.

    h.... ....

    And you ask if you may be of service

  82. B.... H....

    Thank you again Bob, happy as a lark these are up on YT!

    B.... H....

    finally....

  83. R.... ....

    "A BALD WIG FOR JACK THE RIPPER WHO SITS AT THE HEAD OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE"Dylan Is a fuckin'genius.Tombstone blues Is a masterpiece like all the album

  84. v.... ....

    A rollicking surreal gem from an "in the zone" Genius.

  85. A.... V....

    My advice is to not let the boys in.

    A.... V....

    “Stop all this weeping, swallow your pride; you will not die, it’s not poison.”

  86. S.... S....

    The suns not yellow its chicken!!!!

    S.... S....

    @Apollo Alexandre Well yeah, Trump is a pretty big coward, with ambitions to rule by royal decree (tweet). Could Trump be the new Louis XIV (ie "the Sun King").

    S.... S....

    What's the difference between Trump and any other of these lying, greedy, stupid and cowardly politicians we've been stuck with forever???

    S.... S....

    @Sam Houston Not a gotdamn thing , son...well , maybe a couple o things...come to think of it.

    S.... S....

    Sam Houston you are also enlightened

    S.... S....

    Trump is the same as them all he’s just playing a different game to win naive people over and it works every time

  87. J.... I....

    Man I've been on a spiral into the Bob Dylan abyss, all after one Traveling Wilburys video.

    J.... I....

    You are entering a world of pain.

  88. O.... E....

    Anything that starts with:
    "The sweet pretty things are in bed now, of course
    The city fathers, they're trying to endorse
    The reincarnation of Paul Revere's horse
    But the town has no need to be nervous"

    You KNOW it's gonna be good. So good. 😎

    O.... E....

    yeah but I'm in ¡TROUBLE! with the Tombstone Blues!

    O.... E....

    Because feeling good is allright.

  89. J.... G....

    Dylan is THE FIRST RAPPER OF HISTORY OF MUSIC BUSINESS....Wow is son! !

    R.A.P. (Rythme of poetry)

    J.... G....

    He's a poet not a rapper. To rap you must play no instruments and have lyrical content that's cheap, shallow, materialistic, and non-universal so not many people can relate to what you're saying. Those are the rules.

    J.... G....

    Live Free Or die thats how rap is now but it used to actually have decent lyrics

    J.... G....

    @Speed Cola I'd somewhat agree with that.

    J.... G....

    @Live Free Or die if you actually have an appreciation for lyrically innovative music, check out earl sweatshirt. his raps are beautiful. particularly "azucar". don't be tricked into thinking rap is shallow.

    J.... G....

    @Jame Dont I know there are some rappers who get it right. I'm mainly talking about the mainstream bullshit. I personally think most rap is an embarrassment to art.

  90. J.... G....

    Bob!!!!!

  91. A.... ....

    This song has momentum like a runaway freight train!

    A.... ....

    And it's ironic how he refers in his writing to the slow train.

  92. D.... W....

    I must be dreaming. All these great Bob Dylan songs are showing up. It's nice to see them, instead of those cheap cover versions. There is only one Bob Dylan. I have seen him live and buy his music. This is a great song from a great album. Rest in peace Michael Bloomfield.

    D.... W....

    Hell yeah

    D.... W....

    I've just bin made

    D.... W....

    I just want more to be added!! God I love Bob Dylan!!

  93. m.... z....

    how great is this!!! National Anthem!

  94. S.... P....

    Woohoo. Thanks Bob

    S.... P....

    No more pathetic covers. I love this song. I have this on CD. A cool album.

  95. I.... ....

    THE ENERGY IN THIS SONG IS INSANE!

    I.... ....

    It's so freaking good! Good god I love it.

    I.... ....

    mike Bloomfield on lead guitar

    I.... ....

    IAmD.J. I’m glad someone else noticed that. He could have kept going you just feel it

    I.... ....

    The drums are so active and messy - it's pretty much proto-proto punk.

    I.... ....

    METHEDRINE.