Hollywood Blues

I took her down to Willow Fair
We floated down the street
Dirty feathers in her hair, and jewels on her feet
And when the fair was over, we went drinking in the sundown
She said "Pull yourself together, boy, and put that silly gun down"

You're giving me the bust up, broke down, burned out Hollywood blues
Whichever way you lace the cake, you lose
What road's a blind man meant to choose
When he's got the bust up, broke down, burned out Hollywood blues?

I've been in this game too long, to not know when I'm losing
Started out so fine and strong, thought by this time I'd be cruising
Holding onto my sanity, man, but it's getting hard to fake it
He's leaning on my vanity, man, and telling me, "Come on, hero, shake it"

You're giving me the bust up, broke down, burned out Hollywood blues
Whichever way you lace the cake, you lose
What road's a blind man meant to choose
When he's got the bust up, broke down, burned out Hollywood blues?

Once there was a playhouse here, with dancers and musicians
A barefoot prophet appeared, and made a proposition
You're thinkin' big, I understand, but when that baby hits the street
Are we looking at a comeback, man, or just another glorious defeat?

Is this what the poet intended when he said no man is an island?
I'd start over, I'd be mended, if I could just get myself on dry land
But I'm heading into trouble, I can see the storm clouds muster
Why am I seeing double, and who's that joker in the duster

Giving me the bust up, broke down, burned out Hollywood blues
Whichever way you lace the cake, you lose
What road's a blind man meant to choose, hey
When he's got the bust up, broke down, burned out Hollywood blues?

I took her down to Willow Fair, we floated down the street
Dirty feathers in her hair, and jewels on her feet
And when the fair was over, we went drinking in the sundown
She said, "Pull yourself together, boy"