[Verse 1]
Well, the ragman draws circles up and down the block
I’d ask him what the matter was, but I know that he don’t talk
And the ladies treat me kindly and furnish me with tape
But deep inside my heart, 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 his bells
Speaking to some French girl who says she knows me well
And I would send a message to find out if she’s talked
But the post office has been stolen and the mailbox is locked

[Chorus]
Oh mama, can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again

[Verse 3]
Mona tried to tell me, stay away from the train line
She said that 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
And he just smoked my eyelids and punched my cigarette”
[Chorus]
Ooh mama, can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again

[Verse 4]
Grandpa died last week, now he’s buried in the rocks
Everyone still talks about how badly they were shocked
But me, I expected it to happen when I seen him lose control
He built a fire on Main Street and 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

[Verse 5]
Ruthie says come see her in her honky-tonk lagoon
Where I can watch her waltz for free 'neath her Panamanian moon
And I say, “Aw come on now, you must know about my debutante”
She says, “Your debutante just knows 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 6]
The bricks, they fall 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 these things twice
[Chorus]
Oh mama, can this really be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again