Chuck Perrin

words by Bob Dylan

Johny’s in the basement
Mixing up the medicine
I’m on the pavement
Thinking ‘bout the government
A man in a trench coat Badge out, laid off
Says he’s got a bad cough Wants to get it paid off
Look out kid
It’s somethin’ you did
God knows when
But you’re doin’ it again
You better duck down the alley way
Lookin’ for a new friend
The man in the coon-skip cap
with the bic pen
Wants eleven dollar bills
You only got ten.

Maggie comes fleet foot
Face full of black soot
Talkin’ that the heat put plants in the bed but
The phone’s tapped anyway Maggie says that many say
They must bust in early May Orders from the DA
Look out kid
Don’t matter what you did
Walk on your tip toes
Don’t try, ‘No Doz’
Better stay away from those
That carry around a fire hose
Keep a clean nose
Watch the plain clothes
You don’t need a weather man
To know which way the wind blows.

Ah, get sick, get well, hang around an ink well
Ring bell, hard to tell if anything is gonna to sell
Try hard, get barred, get back,
Write Braille, get jailed, jump bail
Join the army, if you failed
Look out kid
You’re gonna get hit
By users, cheaters, six-time losers
hang around the theaters
Girl by the whirlpool
Lookin’ for a new fool
Don’t follow leaders
Watch the parkin’ meters.

Ah get born, keep warm
Short pants, romance – learn to dance
Get dressed, get blessed – try to be a success
Please her, please him,
Buy gifts, don’t steal, don’t lift
Twenty years of schoolin’
And they put you on the day shift
Look out kid
They keep it all hid
Better jump down a manhole
Light yourself a candle
Don’t wear sandals
Try to avoid the scandals
Don’t wanna be a bum
You better chew gum
The pump don’t work
‘Cause the vandals took the handles.