Early one morning the sun was shining 
I was laying in bed
Wondering if she'd changed at all 
if her hair was still red
Her folks they said our lives together 
sure was gonna be rough
They never did like mama's homemade dress 
papa's bank book wasn't big enough
Me I'm standing on the side of the road 
rain falling onto my shoes
I'm heading out to the east coast 
Lord knows I've paid some dues
Getting through
Tangled up in blue

She was married when we first met 
soon to be divorced
I helped her out of a jam I guess 
but I used a little too much force
And we drove that car as far as we could 
abandoned it out west
We split up on a sad dark night 
both agreeing it was best
She turned around and looked at me 
as I was walking away
And I heard her say over my shoulder 
we'll meet again someday
On the avenue
Tangled up in blue

I was living in the Great North Woods 
working as a cook for a spell
Never did like it all that much 
and one day the ax just fell
So I drifted down to New Orleans 
where I happened to be employed
I was working for a while on a fishing boat 
right outside of Delacroix
And all the while I was alone 
the past was close behind
I'd seen a lot of women 
but she never escaped my mind
And I just grew
Tangled up in blue

She was working at a topless bar 
I stopped in for a beer
I kept looking at the side of her face 
in the spotlight so clear
Now later on the crowd thinned out 
and I was just about to do the same
But she was standing there at the back of my chair 
she said "don't I know your
name"
Well I muttered something 
under my breath as she studied the lines on my face
And I must admit I felt a little uneasy when she bent down to tie the laces
Of my shoes
Tangled up in blue
I know I know I know

She lit a burner on the stove and offered me a pipe
I thought you'd never say hello she said you look like the silent type
And she opened up a book of poems and handed it to me
Written by an Italian poet from the thirteenth century
Every one of his word rang true and glowed like burning coal
Pouring off every page like it was written in my soul
From me to you
Tangled up in blue

I lived with them on Montague Street in a basement down the stairs yeah
There was music in the cafes at night and revolution in the air
That's when he started into dealing with slaves yeah something inside of her
just died
And she had to sell everything she owned and she froze up inside
Finally when the bottom fell out I became withdrawn
The only thing I knew how to do was to keep on keepin' on
Like a bird that flew
Tangled up in blue
Oooh yeah

Now I'm headed back again I got to get to her somehow
And all the people that I used to know they're an illusion to me now
Some are mathematicians, some are carpenters' wives
I don't know how they all got started don't know what they're doing with their
lives
But me I'm still out on the road headed for another joint
We always did feel the same we just saw it from a different point
Of view
Tangled up in blue