Chris Smithers song "Love you like a man" from Smithers first album has been famously covered by Bonnie Raitt who has made it a signature song of hers under the title "Love me like a man" (published on her second Album "Give it up")- she has openly expressed admiration for Chris Smithers songwriting and guitarplaying. Later Raitt's version of the song has been covered by The Dixie Chicks and Diana Krall.
The protagonist of Linda Barnes's series of "Carlotta Carlyle" mysteries is a fan of Smither's music and several of her books mention it.
Desolation Row
Chris Smither Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They're painting the passports brown
The beauty parlor is filled with sailors
The circus is in town
Here comes the blind commissioner
They've got him in a trance
One hand is tied to the tight-rope walker
The other is in his pants
They need somewhere to go
As Lady and I look out tonight
From Desolation Row
Cinderella, she seems so easy
"It takes one to know one," she smiles
And puts her hands in her back pockets
Bette Davis style
And in comes Romeo, he's moaning
"You Belong to Me I Believe"
And someone says," You're in the wrong place, my friend
You better leave"
And the only sound that's left
After the ambulances go
Is Cinderella sweeping up
On Desolation Row
Now the moon is almost hidden
The stars are beginning to hide
The fortunetelling lady
Has even taken all her things inside
All except for Cain and Abel
And the hunchback of Notre Dame
Everybody is making love
Or else expecting rain
And the Good Samaritan, he's dressing
He's getting ready for the show
He's going to the carnival tonight
On Desolation Row
Now Ophelia, she's 'neath the window
For her I feel so afraid
On her twenty-second birthday
She already is an old maid
To her, death is quite romantic
She wears an iron vest
Her profession's her religion
Her sin is her lifelessness
And though her eyes are fixed upon
Noah's great rainbow
She spends her time peeking
Into Desolation Row
Einstein, disguised as Robin Hood
With his memories in a trunk
Passed this way an hour ago
With his friend, a jealous monk
He looked so immaculately frightful
As he bummed a cigarette
Then he went off sniffing drainpipes
And reciting the alphabet
Now you would not think to look at him
But he was famous long ago
For playing the electric violin
On Desolation Row
Dr. Filth, he keeps his world
Inside of a leather cup
But all his sexless patients
They're trying to blow it up
Now his nurse, some local loser
She's in charge of the cyanide hole
And she also keeps the cards that read
"Have Mercy on His Soul"
They all play on penny whistles
You can hear them blow
If you lean your head out far enough
From Desolation Row
Across the street they've nailed the curtains
They're getting ready for the feast
The Phantom of the Opera
A perfect image of a priest
They're spoonfeeding Casanova
To get him to feel more assured
Then they'll kill him with self-confidence
After poisoning him with words
And the Phantom's shouting to skinny girls
"Get Outa Here If You Don't Know
Casanova is just being punished for going
To Desolation Row"
Now at midnight all the agents
And the superhuman crew
Come out and round up everyone
That knows more than they do
Then they bring them to the factory
Where the heart-attack machine
Is strapped across their shoulders
And then the kerosene
Is brought down from the castles
By insurance men who go
Check to see that nobody is escaping
To Desolation Row
Praise be to Nero's Neptune
The Titanic sails at dawn
And everybody's shouting
"Which Side Are You On?"
And Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot
Fighting in the captain's tower
While calypso singers laugh at them
And fishermen hold flowers
Between the windows of the sea
Where lovely mermaids flow
And nobody has to think too much
About Desolation Row
Yes, I received your letter yesterday
(About the time the door knob broke)
When you asked how I was doing
Was that some kind of joke?
All these people that you mention
Yes, I know them, they're quite lame
I had to rearrange their faces
And give them all another name
Right now I can't read too good
Don't send me no more letters no
Not unless you mail them
From Desolation Row
Chris Smither's "Desolation Row" is a song that was released as the finale track to his 1999 album "Drive You Home Again." This song appears to be a commentary on society, and how it can ignore or even participate in acts of inhumanity. The opening lines set the scene for a strange, grotesque circus show where people casually take pictures of public hangings, while the officials in charge are bewildered and oblivious to the world around them. The song then shifts from the circus show to a street scene, where people are roaming the streets, and Cinderella is sweeping up after cops have carted off victims. Romeo arrives, lost and forlorn, and Ophelia is awaiting death, while Einstein struts around like Robin Hood, looking for a cigarette. The singer then mentions Dr. Filth, his sexless victims, and local losers in charge of a cyanide hole. The song concludes with a declaration that society is collectively on "Desolation Row," and that nobody who knows of its inner workings will escape its grasp.
The lyrics of "Desolation Row" can be interpreted in different ways, but the general feel of the song is that society, in its many forms, can have a cruel and terrible face hidden beneath everyday life. The allusions to history, literature, and popular culture and the often surreal imagery in the song make it a fascinating and complex work to interpret. Bob Dylan's original song "Desolation Row" was noted for its length, as well as its bewildering, opaque lyrics which alluded to a variety of people and events. Music critic Mike Marqusee writes that Smither's version of "Desolation Row" is "a more sober version of Bob Dylan's original," emphasizing social critique and eschewing Dylan's penchant for surreal imagery.
Line by Line Meaning
They're selling postcards of the hanging
Capitalism will turn anything, even an execution, into a for-profit venture
They're painting the passports brown
The government is hostile to its citizens
The beauty parlor is filled with sailors
The world is in chaos
The circus is in town
Distractions from reality are everywhere
Here comes the blind commissioner
Those in positions of power lack vision and judgement
They've got him in a trance
The powerful are easily manipulated
One hand is tied to the tight-rope walker
Those in power are precarious and their fates are tied to others
The riot squad they're restless, They need somewhere to go
Violence is always looming
As Lady and I look out tonight, From Desolation Row
The view from our current societal position is bleak
Cinderella, she seems so easy
Appearances are deceiving
"It takes one to know one," she smiles
She recognizes hypocrisy in those around her
And puts her hands in her back pockets, Bette Davis style
She is in control of herself and the situation
And in comes Romeo, he's moaning
The world is filled with heartbreak
"You Belong to Me I Believe"
Possessiveness over others is commonplace
And someone says," You're in the wrong place, my friend
The world is in chaos with no rhyme or reason
You better leave"
Danger is everywhere
And the only sound that's left, After the ambulances go
Death is constant
Is Cinderella sweeping up, On Desolation Row
The powerless are left to deal with the aftermath of trauma
Now the moon is almost hidden
The world is in a state of darkness and obscurity
The stars are beginning to hide
Hope is dimming
The fortunetelling lady, Has even taken all her things inside
Even those who claim to know the future are powerless against the present chaos
All except for Cain and Abel, And the hunchback of Notre Dame
Violence, conflict, and deformity are prevalent
Everybody is making love, Or else expecting rain
Desire and despair coexist
And the Good Samaritan, he's dressing
Even those who try to help others are affected by the chaos
He's getting ready for the show
Life is a performance
He's going to the carnival tonight, On Desolation Row
The only source of entertainment is the world's misfortunes
Now Ophelia, she's 'neath the window
Even those who seem to be innocent are affected by chaos
For her I feel so afraid
Empathy for the plight of others is necessary
On her twenty-second birthday, She already is an old maid
Youth is fleeting and society imposes arbitrary expectations on people
To her, death is quite romantic
Death is seen as a desirable escape
She wears an iron vest
She cannot escape the effects of chaos
Her profession's her religion, Her sin is her lifelessness
Even those who try to find purpose in their work are unfulfilled
And though her eyes are fixed upon, Noah's great rainbow
Hope still exists, but it is hard to see in such trying circumstances
She spends her time peeking, Into Desolation Row
She is trapped by the chaos around her
Einstein, disguised as Robin Hood
Even the most intelligent people cannot escape difficult situations
With his memories in a trunk
The past is ever-present
Passed this way an hour ago
Those who seem to have all the answers are sometimes lost themselves
With his friend, a jealous monk
Even those in positions of power are often petty and jealous
He looked so immaculately frightful, As he bummed a cigarette
Appearances are often deceiving
Then he went off sniffing drainpipes
Even the most respected people are prone to self-destructive behavior
And reciting the alphabet
Even the most intelligent people can regress to childish behavior
Now you would not think to look at him
Appearance is not indicative of character
But he was famous long ago
Past achievements do not guarantee future success
For playing the electric violin
Talent is often undervalued or unrecognized
On Desolation Row
Even those in positions of power still feel the effects of chaos
Dr. Filth, he keeps his world, Inside of a leather cup
People often hide their true selves and their problems from the outside world
But all his sexless patients, They're trying to blow it up
People who are unfulfilled or feel powerless will lash out
Now his nurse, some local loser
Even those who are oppressed can be oppressors
She's in charge of the cyanide hole
Even those in powerless positions can have a significant impact
And she also keeps the cards that read, "Have Mercy on His Soul"
Even those who seem callous can show mercy or compassion sometimes
They all play on penny whistles, You can hear them blow
Even those with no power can make noise or have an impact
If you lean your head out far enough, From Desolation Row
The chaos is inescapable
Across the street they've nailed the curtains
People try to pretend the chaos doesn't exist
They're getting ready for the feast
People try to find pleasure and joy in a grim world
The Phantom of the Opera, A perfect image of a priest
Religious and cultural customs can be twisted or perverted
They're spoonfeeding Casanova
People who are respected for their sexual prowess can be exploited or manipulated
To get him to feel more assured
Even those with sexual power can be insecure
Then they'll kill him with self-confidence
Even those with self-confidence can still be destroyed
After poisoning him with words
Words can be a powerful tool for harm and manipulation
And the Phantom's shouting to skinny girls, "Get Outa Here If You Don't Know
Those in power often try to exclude or shame those who are different
Casanova is just being punished for going, To Desolation Row"
Those who explore or question society are often punished or oppressed
Now at midnight all the agents, And the superhuman crew
Powerful people will do whatever it takes to maintain that power
Come out and round up everyone, That knows more than they do
Ignorance is used as a tool for control
Then they bring them to the factory
People are treated like mere commodities
Where the heart-attack machine
The capitalist system is the source of many problems and difficulties
Is strapped across their shoulders
People are weighed down by the burdens of the system
And then the kerosene
The system is always on the verge of self-destruction
Is brought down from the castles
The wealthy and powerful are responsible for many of society's problems
By insurance men who go
Even those who seem to be doing good can be complicit in the system's problems
Check to see that nobody is escaping
People are trapped and cannot escape the chaos
To Desolation Row
The entire world is consumed by chaos and suffering
Praise be to Nero's Neptune
Even those who seem to have all the answers have a bleak outlook
The Titanic sails at dawn
Disaster is imminent
And everybody's shouting, "Which Side Are You On?"
People are forced to pick a side in arbitrary conflicts
And Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot, Fighting in the captain's tower
Even respected cultural figures can be petty and fight over trivial matters
While calypso singers laugh at them
Even those who seem to have a sense of humor about the world's problems are affected by them
And fishermen hold flowers
Even in the midst of chaos, beauty can still be found
Between the windows of the sea
Beauty and intrigue can be found in unexpected places
Where lovely mermaids flow
Beauty exists even in places that are dangerous or threatening
And nobody has to think too much, About Desolation Row
Everyone is aware of the chaos and accepts it as a part of their reality
Yes, I received your letter yesterday, (About the time the door knob broke)
Even personal problems are overshadowed by the larger issues of society
When you asked how I was doing, Was that some kind of joke?
The idea that anyone could be doing well in such a world is absurd
All these people that you mention, Yes, I know them, they're quite lame
Everyone is affected by the chaos in their own way, and it is not something to be envious of
I had to rearrange their faces, And give them all another name
People cannot escape the chaos and have to find ways to cope with it
Right now I can't read too good
The chaos has a physical and emotional impact on everyone
Don't send me no more letters no
Communication is difficult and often fruitless in such a chaotic world
Not unless you mail them, From Desolation Row
The only way to understand or empathize with the chaos is to experience it firsthand
Contributed by Zoe F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.