Ah, the rag man draws circles up and down the block
I'd ask him what the matter was, but I know he doesn't talk
And the ladies treat me kindly and they furnish me with tape
But neither them or the ragman can help me to escape

Oh, mama
This could be the end
I’m stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again

Now, Shakespeare’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

Oh, mama
This might be the end
I’m stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again

Now, Mona tried to help me, she said stay away from train lines
She said all the railroad men do is drink your blood like wine
And I said, Oh, I don’t know, but then again there's only one I've met
And he just stroked my eyelids and punched my cigarette

Oh, mama
This might be the end
I’m stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Well, Grandpa died last week, he's buried in the rocks
Everybody’s still talking about how badly he was shot
And me, I expected it to happen, I saw he'd lost control
When he built the fire on Main Street and filled it full of holes

Oh, mama
This might be the end
I’m stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again

Now the senator came down here, was showing everyone his gun
Handing out free tickets to the wedding of his son
And I nearly got busted, wouldn't it be my luck?
To get caught without a ticket and be discovered ‘neath a truck?

Oh, mama
This might be the end
I’m stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again

Well, the preacher looked so baffled ev'rytime I asked him why he dressed
With twenty pounds of headlines stapled on his chest
He cursed me when I'd whisper, saying not even you can hide
You see, you're just like me, I hope you're satisfied

Ah, mama
This might be the end?
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
Now the rain man gave me two cures and he said, "Jump right in"
One was Texas medicine, the other was railroad gin
And like a fool, I mixed them, and it strangled up my mind
And now people just get uglier, and I have no sense of time

Oh, mama
I just need a friend
Stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again