Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again

Lyrics

[Verse 1] Well, the ragman draws circles, up and down the block I'd ask him what's the matter, but I know that he don't talk And the ladies treat me kindly, and they furnish me with tape But deep inside my heart, I, I know I can't escape [Chorus] Oh, mama, can this really be the end To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again [Verse 2] Shakespeare, he's in the alley With his pointed shoes and bell Speaking with some French girl, who says she knows me well And me, I'd send a message, to find out if she's talked But the post office has been stolen, and the mailbox is locked [Chorus] But oh, mama, can this really be the end To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again [Verse 3] Now, Mona, she tried to warn me, stay away from the railroad line She says all the railroad men Drink up your blood like wine And I said, "Oh, I didn't know that" But then again there's only one I've met He just smoked my eyelids, and he punched my cigarette [Chorus] Whoa, mama, can this really be the end To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again [Verse 4] Grandpa died last week, and they buried him in the rocks Everyone still talks about how badly they are shocked But me, I expected it to happen, I knew he'd lost control When he built a fire on Main Street, and he shot it full of holes [Chorus] Oh, mama, can this really be the end To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again [Instrumental break] [Verse 5] Now the Senator, he came down here, showing everyone his gun Handing out free tickets to the wedding of his son And me, I nearly got busted, and wouldn't it be my luck To get caught without a ticket and be discovered beneath a truck [Chorus] Oh, mama, can this really be the end To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again [Verse 6] Now the preacher looks so baffled When I asked him why he dressed With twenty pounds of headlines stapled to his chest And he cursed me when I proved it to him Then I said, "You see, not even you can hide You see, you're just like me, and I hope you're satisfied" [Chorus] Oh, mama, can this really be the end To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again [Verse 7] Now the rainman gave me two cures, then he said jump right in The first was Texas medicine, the second was just railroad gin And like a fool I mixed them, and it strangled up my mind Now people just get uglier, and I've got no sense of time [Chorus] Oh, mama, can this really be the end To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again [Verse 8] Now, when Ruthie says come see her in her honky-tonk lagoon Where I can watch her waltz for free, 'neath her Panamanian moon And I said, "Ah, come on now, you know about my debutante And she says, "Your debutante knows just what you need But I know what you want" [Chorus] Oh, mama, can this really be the end To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again [Verse 9] Now the bricks, they lay on Grand Street where the neon madmen climb They all fall there so perfectly, it all seems so well timed And here I sit so patiently, waiting to find out what price You have to pay to get out of Going through all of these things twice [Chorus] Oh, mama, can this really be the end To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again [Outro] Oh, mama, can this really be the end To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again