[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