subterranean homesick blues

johnny's in the basement mixing up the medicine, i'm on the pavement thinking about the government, the man in the trench coat, badge out, laid off, says he's got a bad cough, wants to get it paid off, look out, kid, it's something you did, god knows when, but you're doing it again, better duck down the alleyway, looking for a new friend, man in the coonskin cap in the big pen, wants eleven dollar bills, you only got ten, maggie comes fleet foot, face full of black soot, talking 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 d.a. look out, kid, don't matter what you did, walk on your tiptoes, don't try no doz, better stay away from those that carry 'round a fire hose, keep a clean nose, watch the plainclothes, to know which way the wind blows, get sick, get well, hang around an inkwell, ring a bell, hard to tell, it's gonna sell, try hard, get barred, get back, write braille, get jailed, jump bail, join the army if you fail, look out, kid, it's something you did, god knows when, but you're doing it again, better duck down the alleyway, looking for a new friend, man in the coonskin cap in the big pen, wants eleven dollar bills, you only got ten, the man in the coonskin cap in the big pen, wants eleven dollar bills, you only got ten