Released: October 30, 2007
Songwriter: Bob Dylan
Producer: Joe Henry
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
And 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 that weeping and swallow your pride
You will not die, it's not poison"
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?"
Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley, he's lookin' for food
And I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues
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"
The king of the Philistines, his soldiers to save
Put jawbones on their tombstones and flatters their graves
Put 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
And I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues
The geometry of innocence, flesh on the bone
Causes Galileo's math book to get thrown
At Delilah, who's sits worthlessly alone
But the tears on her cheeks are from laughter
Now, 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
And I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues
Where Ma Raney and Beethoven once unwrapped their bed roll
Tuba players will now rehearse around the flagpole
And the National Bank for 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
And I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues
Got the tombstone blues
Tombstone blues
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
And 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 that weeping and swallow your pride
You will not die, it's not poison"
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?"
Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley, he's lookin' for food
And I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues
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"
The king of the Philistines, his soldiers to save
Put jawbones on their tombstones and flatters their graves
Put 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
And I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues
The geometry of innocence, flesh on the bone
Causes Galileo's math book to get thrown
At Delilah, who's sits worthlessly alone
But the tears on her cheeks are from laughter
Now, 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
And I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues
Where Ma Raney and Beethoven once unwrapped their bed roll
Tuba players will now rehearse around the flagpole
And the National Bank for 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
And I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues
Got the tombstone blues
Tombstone blues
more tracks from the album
I’m Not There: Original Soundtrack
- When the Ship Comes In
- Just Like A Woman
- Ballad Of A Thin Man
- Simple Twist Of Fate
- Billy 1
- I Wanna Be Your Lover
- I’m Not There
- Pressing On
- As I Went Out One Morning
- Mama, You’ve Been On My Mind/A Fraction Of Last Thoughts On Woody Guthrie
- You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere
- The Times They Are A Changin’
- I’m Not There
- Dark Eyes
- Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
- Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)
- Cold Irons Bound
- Fourth Time Around
- All Along The Watchtower
- I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine
- Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?
- Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
- Man in the Long Black Coat
- Can’t Leave Her Behind
- The Wicked Messenger
- One More Cup of Coffee
- Ring Them Bells
- Moonshiner
- Tombstone Blues
- Maggie’s Farm
- The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
- Goin’ To Acapulco
- Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again
- Highway 61 Revisited
From the album