[Verse 1]
Early one morning the sun was shining
And he was laying in bed
Wondering if she'd changed at all
If her hair was still red
Her folks they said that their lives together
Sure was gonna be rough
They never did like mama's home-made dress
Papa's bank book wasn't big enough
He was standing at the side of the road
Rain falling on his shoes
Heading out for the old East Coast
Radio blasting the news
Straight on through
Tangled up in blue

[Verse 2]
She was married when they first met
To a man four times her age
He left her penniless in a state of regret
It was time to bust out of the cage
And they drove that car as far as they could
Abandoned it out west
Splitting up on a dark sad night
Both agreeing it was best
She turned around to look at him
As he was walking away
Saying "I wish I could tell you all the things
That I never learned to say"
He said "That's all right, baby, I love you too
But we were tangled up in blue"
[Verse 3]
He had a steady job and a pretty face
And everything seemed to fit
One day he could just feel the waste
He put it all down and split
And he drifted down to New Orleans
Where they treated him like a boy
He nearly went mad in Baton Rouge
He nearly drowned in Delacroix
But all the while he was alone
The past was close behind
He had one too many lovers and
None of them were too refined
All except for you
But you were tangled up in blue

[Verse 4]
She was working in the blinding light
And I stopped in for a drink
I just kept looking at her face so white
I didn't know what to think
Later on when the crowd thinned out
I was getting ready to leave
She was standing there right beside my chair
Saying "What's that you got up your sleeve?"
I said "Nothing baby, and that's for sure"
She leaned down into my face
I could feel the heat and the pulse of her
As she bent down to tie the laces
Of my shoe
Tangled up in blue
[Verse 5]
I lived with them on Montague Street
In a basement down the stairs
There was snow all winter and no heat
Revolution was in the air
And one day all of his slaves ran free
Something inside of him died
The only thing I could do was be me
And get on that train and ride
And when it all came crashing down
I was already south
I didn't know whether the world was flat or round
I had the worst taste in my mouth
That I ever knew
Tangled up in blue

[Verse 6]
So now I'm going on back again
Maybe tomorrow or maybe next year
I gotta find someone among the women and men
Whose destiny is unclear
Some are masters of illusion
Some are ministers of the trade
All of the strong delusion
All of their beds are unmade
Me I'm still heading towards the sun
Trying to stay out of the joint
We always did love the very same one
We just saw her from a different point
Of view
Tangled up in blue