Bob Dylan's 115th Dream
Bob Dylan
I was riding on the Mayflower when I thought I spied some land
I yelled to Captain Arab, I have ya understand
Who came running to the deck, said, "Boys forget the whale"
"We're going over yonder, cut the engine, change the sail"
"Haul on the bowline," we sang that melody
like all tough soldiers do when their far away at sea
"I think I'll call it America," I said as we hit land
I took a deep breath; I fell down, I could not stand
Captain Arab, he started writing up some deeds
He said, "Lets set up a fort and start buying the place with beads"
Just then this cop comes down the street, crazy as a loon
He throws us all in jail for carryin' harpoons
Ah, me, I busted out, don't even ask me how
I went to get some help, I walked by a Guernsey cow
Who directed me down to the Bowery Slums
Where people carried signs around saying "Ban the bums"
I jumped right into line, saying "I hope that I'm not late"
When I realized that I had not eaten for five days straight
I went into a restaurant, looking for the cook
I told him I was the editor of a famous etiquitte book
The waitress, he was handsome, he wore a powder blue cape
I ordered some suzzette, I said, "Could you please make that crepe"
Just then the whole kitchen exploded from boiling fat
Food was flying everywhere, I left without my hat
Now I didn't mean to be nosy, but I went into a bank
To get some bail for Arab and all the boys back in the tank
They asked me for some collateral and I pulled down my pants
They threw me in the alley, when up comes this girl from France
Who invited me to her house, I went but she had a friend
Who knocked me out and robbed my boots and I was on the street again
Well I rapped upon a house with the U.S. flag up on display
I said, "Could ya help me out, I got some friends down the way"
The man says, "Get out of here, I'll tear you limb from limb"
I said, "They refused Jesus, too," he said, "You're not him"
"Get out of here before I break your bones, I ain't your pop"
I decided to have him arrested, an' I went looking for a cop"
I ran right outside; I hopped inside a cab
I went out the other door; this Englishman said, "fab"
As he saw me leap a hotdog stand and a chariot that stood
Parked across from a building advertisng brotherhood
I ran right through the front door like a hobo sailor does
But it was just a funeral parlor, and a man asked who I was
I repeated that all my friends were all in jail, with a sigh
He gave me his card; he said, "Call me if they die"
I shook his hand and said, "Goodbye," and ran out to the street
When a bowling ball came down the road and knocked me off my feet
A payphone was ringing; it nearly blew my mind
When I picked it up and said, "hello," this foot came through the line
Well, by this time I was fed up with trying to make a stab
At bringin' back any help for my friends and Captain Arab
I decided to flip a coin, like either heads or tails
Would let me know know if I should go back to ship or back to jail
So I hawked my sailor's suit and I got a coin to flip
It came up tails, it rhymed with "sails" so I made it back to ship
Well I got back, took the parking ticket off the mast
I was ripping it to shreds when this coast guard boat went past
They asked me my name and I said, "Captain Kid"
They believed me, but they wanted to know what exactly that I did
I said for the pope of a rook i was employed
They let me go right away; they were very paranoid
Well the last I heard of Arab, he was stuck on a whale
That was married to the deputy sherriff of the jail
Bu the funniest thing was when I was leaving the bay
I saw three ships, they were all heading my way
I asked the captain what his name was and why he didn't drive a truck
He said his name was "Columbus." I just said, "Good luck"
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