Bob Dylan
Clean Cut Kid (Empire Burlesque Alternate Take)
Everybody wants to know why he couldn’t adjust
Adjust to what, a dream that bust?
He was a clean-cut kid
But they made a killer out of him
That’s what they did
They said what’s up is down, they said what isn’t is
They put ideas in his head he thought were his
He was a clean-cut kid
But they made a killer out of him
That’s what they did
He was on the baseball team, he was in the marching band
When he was ten years old he had a watermelon stand
He was a clean-cut kid
But they made a killer out of him
That’s what they did
Hе went to church on Sunday, he was a Boy Scout
For his friends hе would turn his pockets inside out
He was a clean-cut kid
But they made a killer out of him
That’s what they did
They said, “Listen boy, you’re just a pup”
They sent him to a napalm health spa to shape up
They gave him dope to smoke, drinks and pills
A jeep to drive, blood to spill
They said “Congratulations, you got what it takes”
They sent him back into the rat race without any brakes
He was a clean-cut kid
But they made a killer out of him
That’s what they did
He bought the American dream but it was all wet
The only game he could play was Russian roulette
He drank Coca-Cola, he was eating Wonder Bread
Ate Burger Kings, he was well fed
He went to Hollywood to see Peter O’Toole
He stole a Rolls-Royce and drove it in a swimming pool
They took a clean-cut kid
And they made a killer out of him
That’s what they did
He could’ve sold insurance, owned a bakery or bar
Could’ve been an accountant or a tennis star
He was wearing boxing gloves, he took a dive one day
Off the Golden Gate Bridge into China Bay
His mama weeps and cries, his daddy cries and moans
They sleep together in a home they don’t own
They took a clean-cut kid
And they made a killer out of him
That’s what they did
Well, they're asking me why he couldn’t adjust
All he ever wanted was somebody to trust
They said what’s up is down, they said what isn’t is
They put ideas in his head he thought were his
He was on the baseball team, he was in the marching band
When he was ten years old he had a watermelon stand
They took a clean-cut kid
And they made a killer out of him
That’s what they did
He went to church on Sunday, he was a Boy Scout
For his friends he would turn his pockets inside out
He was a clean-cut kid
But they made a killer out of him
That’s what they did