Tombstone Blues
Richie Havens Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The sweet pretty things are in bed now, of course
The city fathers, they're trying to endorse
The reincarnation of Paul Revere's horse
But the town has no need to be nervous
The ghost of Belle Starr, she hands down her wits
To Jezebel the nun, she violently knits
A bald wig for Jack the Ripper, who sits
At the head of the Chamber of Commerce

Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley, he's lookin' for food
I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues

The hysterical bride in the penny arcade
Screaming, she moans, "I've just been made"
Then sends out for the doctor, who pulls down the shade
And says, "My advice is to not let the boys in"
Now, the medicine man comes and he shuffles inside
He walks with a swagger and he says to the bride
"Stop all this weeping, swallow your pride
You will not die, it's not poison"

Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley, he's lookin' for food
I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues

Well, John the Baptist, after torturing a thief
Looks up at his hero, the Commander-in-Chief
Saying, "Tell me, great hero, but please make it brief
Is there a hole for me to get sick in?"
The Commander-in-Chief answers him while chasing a fly
Saying, "Death to all those who would whimper and cry"
And, dropping a barbell, he points to the sky
Saying, "The sun's not yellow, it's chicken"

Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley, he's lookin' for food
I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues

The king of the Philistines, his soldiers to save
Puts jawbones on their tombstones and flatters their graves
Puts the pied pipers in prison and fattens the slaves
Then sends them out to the jungle
Gypsy Davey with a blowtorch, he burns out their camps
With his faithful slave Pedro behind him, he tramps
With a fantastic collection of stamps
To win friends and influence his uncle

Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley, he's lookin' for food
I'm in trouble with the tombstone blues

The geometry of innocence, flesh on the bone
Causes Galileo's math book to get thrown
At Delilah, who's sitting worthlessly alone
But the tears on her cheeks are from laughter
Now, I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after

Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley, he's lookin' for food
I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues

Where Ma Rainey and Beethoven once unwrapped their bedroll
Tuba players now rehearse around the flagpole
And the National Bank at a profit sells road maps for the soul
To the old folks' home and the college
Now, I wish I could write you a melody so plain
That could hold you, dear lady, from going insane
That could ease you and cool you and cease the pain
Of your useless and pointless knowledge

Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes




Daddy's in the alley, he's lookin' for food
I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues

Overall Meaning

Richie Havens's song "Tombstone Blues" is a surrealistic interpretation of American life and politics in the mid-1960s. The opening lines talk about the city fathers who want to endorse Paul Revere's horse's reincarnation, but no one needs to be nervous. The ghost of Belle Starr is passing down her wits to Jezebel, who is knitting a bald wig for Jack the Ripper. He is sitting at the Chamber of Commerce's head, which is a metaphor for America's power center. The line seems to convey that the government is made up of criminals and backstabbers.


The next lines talk about the strange happenings in a household. Mama is in the factory without shoes, and Daddy is in the alley looking for food. The singer is in the kitchen with the tombstone blues. The tone of the song is desperate, and the lyrics suggest that the household is poor and struggling to make ends meet. The song suggests the American dream might not be attainable for all.


The song includes references to biblical figures, politicians, and famous musicians like Beethoven and Ma Rainey. The song is haunting, surreal, and speaks about the ways in which life is not always what it seems. It is a commentary on society, politics, and the interweaving of personal and public life.


Line by Line Meaning

The sweet pretty things are in bed now, of course
The good people are asleep and not aware of what is happening


The city fathers, they're trying to endorse
The leaders of the town are attempting to support


The reincarnation of Paul Revere's horse
A new messenger with the same spirit is needed for the town


But the town has no need to be nervous
Despite the need for a messenger, the town should not worry


The ghost of Belle Starr, she hands down her wits
The spirit of a clever outlaw shares her wisdom


To Jezebel the nun, she violently knits
A rebellious nun creates with intense passion


A bald wig for Jack the Ripper, who sits
A notorious criminal is being prepared to blend in with society


At the head of the Chamber of Commerce
This dangerous criminal has power and influence


Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes
The mother is working hard without proper attire


Daddy's in the alley, he's lookin' for food
The father is struggling to find nourishment


I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues
The singer is overwhelmed with a sense of death and loss


The hysterical bride in the penny arcade
A distressed young woman is seen in a public place


Screaming, she moans, "I've just been made"
The bride expresses her distress about a recent event in her life


Then sends out for the doctor, who pulls down the shade
The bride sends for medical help, who keeps her privacy


And says, "My advice is to not let the boys in"
The doctor suggests avoiding men, perhaps for emotional or physical safety


Now, the medicine man comes and he shuffles inside
Another healer arrives


He walks with a swagger and he says to the bride
This new healer is quite confident


"Stop all this weeping, swallow your pride
"Don't cry and be proud, be strong"


You will not die, it's not poison"
This healer assures the woman of her safety


Well, John the Baptist, after torturing a thief
A biblical figure punishes a criminal


Looks up at his hero, the Commander-in-Chief
John the Baptist admires a powerful leader


Saying, "Tell me, great hero, but please make it brief
"Can you answer my question briefly, hero?"


Is there a hole for me to get sick in?"
John the Baptist asks an odd question about being ill


The Commander-in-Chief answers him while chasing a fly
The leader responds while being distracted


Saying, "Death to all those who would whimper and cry"
The Commander wishes death upon the weak or emotional


And, dropping a barbell, he points to the sky
The leader is gesturing towards the heavens


Saying, "The sun's not yellow, it's chicken"
The leader is confusing natural phenomena


The king of the Philistines, his soldiers to save
Another biblical reference featuring a king and his army


Puts jawbones on their tombstones and flatters their graves
This king has a strange way of honoring his dead soldiers


Puts the pied pipers in prison and fattens the slaves
The king becomes oppressive towards society


Then sends them out to the jungle
These prisoners are exiled to a harsh environment


Gypsy Davey with a blowtorch, he burns out their camps
A person named Gypsy Davey uses a destructive tool


With his faithful slave Pedro behind him, he tramps
Gypsy Davey has a follower


With a fantastic collection of stamps
These characters have an interesting hobby


To win friends and influence his uncle
These characters have a goal to impress others


The geometry of innocence, flesh on the bone
A poetic phrase about the beauty of the body


Causes Galileo's math book to get thrown
The singer is implying that beauty can distract and cause trouble


At Delilah, who's sitting worthlessly alone
A woman alone and perhaps experiencing isolation


But the tears on her cheeks are from laughter
Delilah is crying from joy or madness


Now, I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
The artist would like to give someone a thrilling experience


I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
The fantasy is of domination and humiliation


Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
The singer would enjoy adding some grandeur to this humiliation


He could die happily ever after
The singer envisions some dark humor in their plot


Where Ma Rainey and Beethoven once unwrapped their bedroll
The artist alludes to a location with cultural significance


Tuba players now rehearse around the flagpole
A new kind of music is being played in this once important place


And the National Bank at a profit sells road maps for the soul
The artist critiques the capitalist nature of important institutions


To the old folks' home and the college
The audience for these capitalist products is limited


Now, I wish I could write you a melody so plain
The artist would like to create something simple and beautiful


That could hold you, dear lady, from going insane
The singer addresses an important person who might be experiencing madness or distress


That could ease you and cool you and cease the pain
This musical creation could comfort this individual


Of your useless and pointless knowledge
The singer suggests that this person's problems might be rooted in their education


I'm in trouble with the tombstone blues
The artist again expresses their feeling of death and loss




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: B. DYLAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Michael Sinks

Richie does the best covers while giving them his own flavor, he's made a career of it. Dylan said "just like a woman' was the best he'd ever heard. Got to love Richie Havens!

nebiofariña

Man, this version is great. I love Bob, but the way that Richie heavens play his guitar is amazing. Thanks for post it!!!

Mike Felber

A Masterpiece. God Himself could not song this any better.

Jordan Peters

They did a pretty good job compiling this soundtrack. It’s fairly strong mix of Dylan’s influences, contemporaries like Mr. Havens but mostly those who flow from Bob. I love Richie, & I’m honored to have seen him play live and to have briefly worked with him in the studio before he died. He was a soulful, sweet legend and a real gentle man.

Shai Isenberg

It's lovely to hear something like that confirmed. I saw Richie Havens for the first time (like a lot of folks my age, I suspect) when I saw the Woodstock film - at age 12 or 13 - and had that impression. And I've had no contrary evidence presented, ever. A good man, with an incredible talent. It's nice to hear it from someone with direct personal experience of it - and it was a privilege to've shared the planet with Richie for a few spins! :)

Paul Dirac

RIP,my man. Enjoyed listening to you all these years.

Malte Laurids Brigge

That was surprisingly, shockingly, extremely good.

thephdj

Realer than real, Richie was the genuine article. Salute to the unsung bandleader of generation rock n' m' f'n roll

IgnatowskiLives

One of my favorites from RH, among many possibilities. RIP job well done. Thanks from the driver's seat.

Ellen Stevenson

Thanks, Richie, for sharing your life and the journey with us. You made a difference. R I P

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