1984 · From the album Highway 61 Revisited

Ballad of a Thin Man

by Bob Dylan

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05:58 Runtime
Rock Genre

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03 · Lyrics

"Ballad of a Thin Man"

You walk into the room with your pencil in your hand

You see somebody naked and 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, Mr. Jones?

You raise up your head and you ask, "Is this where it is?"

And somebody points to you and says, "It's his"

And you say, "What's mine?" and somebody else says, "Well, what is?"

And you say, "Oh my God, am I here all alone?"

But something is happening and you don't know what it is

Do you, Mr. Jones?

You hand in your ticket and you go watch the geek

Who immediately walks up to you when he hears you speak

And says, "How does it feel to be such a freak?"

And you say, "Impossible!" as he hands you a bone

And something is happening here but you don't know what it is

Do you, Mr. Jones?

You have many contacts among the lumberjacks

To get you facts when someone attacks your 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 and they've all liked your looks

With great lawyers you have discussed lepers and crooks

You've been through all of F. Scott Fitzgerald's books

You're very well-read, it's well-known

But something is happening here and you don't know what it is

Do you, Mr. Jones?

Well, the sword swallower, he comes up to you and then he kneels

He crosses himself and then he clicks his high heels

And without further notice, he asks you how it feels

And he says, "Here is your throat back, thanks for the loan"

And you know something is happening but you don't know what it is

Do you, Mr. Jones?

Now, you see this one-eyed midget shouting the word "Now"

And you say, "For what reason?" and he says, "How"

And you say, "What does this mean?" and he screams back, "You're a cow!

Give me some milk or else go home"

And you know something's happening but you don't know what it is

Do you, Mr. Jones?

Well, you walk into the room like a camel, and then you frown

You put your eyes in your pocket and your nose on the ground

There ought to be a law against you comin' around

You should be made to wear earphones

'Cause something is happening and you don't know what it is

Do you, Mr. Jones?

Lyrics via Google. Copyright belongs to rights holders.

04 · FAQ

Frequently asked

When was "Ballad of a Thin Man" released?
"Ballad of a Thin Man" by Bob Dylan was released on November 29, 1984 on the album "Highway 61 Revisited".
What genre is "Ballad of a Thin Man"?
"Ballad of a Thin Man" by Bob Dylan falls within the rock, folk, folk rock genres.
What album is "Ballad of a Thin Man" on?
"Ballad of a Thin Man" appears on the album "Highway 61 Revisited" by Bob Dylan.
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