Is Free Chord Book really free?

Yes. Free Chord Book is 100% free with no sign-up required. Access 670,000+ guitar chords, tabs, and lyrics for every song you want to learn.

How do I transpose chords to a different key?

Open any song and use the transpose buttons to move every chord up or down by half-steps. Perfect for singers who need a different key or capo players.

Can I see chord diagrams while I play?

Yes. Tap any chord in a song to instantly see its interactive guitar chord diagram, including alternate fingerings and variations.

What's the difference between guitar chords and guitar tabs?

Chords show you which strings to strum together (great for rhythm playing and singing). Tabs (tablature) show you exact note-by-note fingerings, which is great for solos, riffs, and fingerpicking.

Does Free Chord Book work on mobile?

Yes. Free Chord Book is fully responsive and works on phones, tablets, and desktops. Use auto-scroll to play hands-free. There is also a free iPhone app (The Chord Book) and Android app (Free Chords).

Is there an iPhone or Android app?

Yes. Download The Chord Book on the Apple App Store and Free Chords on Google Play. Same 670,000+ songs, transpose, tuner, and auto-scroll — 100% free.

Can I print guitar chords?

Yes. Open any song and tap the Print button next to Save. You'll get a branded chord sheet with the Chord Book logo, ready for practice.

Is there a built-in guitar tuner?

Yes. Free Chord Book includes a free online guitar tuner that uses your microphone and YIN pitch detection for accurate tuning in standard and alternate tunings.

How many songs are available?

Over 670,000 songs with chords, tabs, and lyrics — covering every genre, from rock and pop to country, indie, folk, and Hebrew songs.

Is Free Chord Book a good alternative to Ultimate Guitar?

Yes. Free Chord Book is a fast, ad-free, 100% free alternative to Ultimate Guitar with interactive chord diagrams, instant transpose, auto-scroll, and a built-in tuner — no account required.

SavedFavorites

Desolation Row

Chords

5.0383 votes

Listen

YouTubeYouTube SpotifySpotify AppleApple Music

Font15

KeyOriginal

Chords

Scroll

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

Desolation Row chords *
Bob Dylan
 E   E   E   Esus4   E2x
[Verse 1]
They're Eselling postcards of the hanging,
they're Apainting the passports Ebrown;
the B7beauty parlor is filled with sailors,
the Acircus is in Etown
Here comes the blind commissioner,
they've Agot him in a Etrance;
B7one hand is tied to the tight-rope walker,
the Aother is in his Epants
And the Ariot squad they're restless,
they Eneed somewhere to Ago;
as Elady and I look B7out tonight,
               A     E   E   Esus4   E3x
from Desolation Row
[Verse 2]
ECinderella, she seems so easy,
"it Atakes one to know one," she Esmiles;
and B7puts her hands in her back pockets,
ABette Davis Estyle
And in comes Romeo, he's moaning,
"you beAlong to me I beElieve";
and B7someone says," you're in the wrong place, my friend,
Ayou better Eleave"
And the Aonly sound that's left,
Eafter the ambulances Ago;
is ECinderella B7sweeping up,
             A     E   E   Esus4   E3x
on Desolation Row
[Verse 3]
Now the Emoon is almost hidden,
the Astars are beginning to Ehide;
the B7fortunetelling lady,
has Aeven taken all her things inEside
All except for Cain and Abel,
and the Ahunchback of Notre EDame;
B7everybody is making love,
or Aelse expecting Erain
And the AGood Samaritan, he's dressing,
he's getting Eready for the Ashow;
he's Egoing to the B7carnival tonight,
             A    E   E   Esus4   E3x
on Desolation Row
[Verse 4]
Now OEphelia, she's 'neath the window,
for Aher I feel so aEfraid;
on her B7twenty-second birthday,
she alAready is an old Emaid
To her, death is quite romantic,
she Awears an iron Evest;
her proB7fession's her religion,
her Asin is her lifelessEness
And Athough her eyes are fixed upon,
ENoah's great rainAbow;
she Espends her time B7peeking,
               A     E   E   Esus4   E3x
into Desolation Row
[Verse 5]
EinstEein, disguised as Robin Hood
WiAth his memories iEn a trunk
PassB7ed this way an hour ago
With Ahis friend, a Ejealous monk
He looked so immaculately frightful
As hAe bummed a cigaErette
Then B7he went off sniffing drainpipes
And Areciting the alEphabet
Now yoAu would not think to look at him
But hEe was famous Along ago
For Eplaying the eB7lectric violin
              A   E    Esus4    E3x
On Desolation Row
[Verse 6]
Dr. EFilth, he keeps his world
IAnside of a leatEher cup
But B7all his sexless patients
TheyA're trying to bElow it up
Now his nurse, some local loser
ShAe's in charge of Ethe cyanide hole
And sB7he also keeps the cards that read
"Have AMercy on HEis Soul"
They aAll play on penny whistles
You cEan hear theAm blow
If you Elean your B7head out far enough
            A   E    Esus4    E3x
From Desolation Row
[Verse 7]
Across Ethe street they've nailed the curtains
ThAey're getting ready for Ethe feast
The B7Phantom of the Opera
A Aperfect image of a prieEst
They're spoon feeding Casanova
To geAt him to feel more Eassured
Then B7they'll kill him with self-confidence
After Apoisoning him with Ewords
And tAhe Phantom's shouting to skinny girls
"Get EOuta Here If You DonA't Know
CasaEnova is just being puB7nished for going
            A   E    Esus4    E3x
To Desolation Row"
[Verse 8]
Now aEt midnight all the agents
And Athe superhuman Ecrew
Come B7out and round up everyone
That Aknows more than tEhey do
Then they bring them to the factory
Where Athe heart-attack Emachine
Is stB7rapped across their shoulders
And Athen the kerosEene
Is bArought down from the castles
By iEnsurance men whAo go
Check Eto see that nobody B7is escaping
            A   E    Esus4    E3x
To Desolation Row
[Verse 9]
Praise Ebe to Nero's Neptune
The ATitanic sails aEt dawn
And evB7erybody's shouting
"WhiAch Side Are You EOn?"
And Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot
FighAting in the captain'Es tower
While B7calypso singers laugh at them
And fAishermen hold floEwers
BetAween the windows of the sea
WherEe lovely mermaids Aflow
And Enobody has to think B7too much
                A    E   E   Esus4   E3x
About Desolation Row
E A E B7 A E A E B7 A E A E A E B7 A E
[Verse 10]
Yes, I Ereceived your letter yesterday
(AboAut the time the door Eknob broke)
When you B7asked how I was doing
Was Athat some kind of joEke?
All these people that you mention
Yes, AI know them, they're quEite lame
I had B7to rearrange their faces
And Agive them all another Ename
RigAht now I can't read too good
Don'Et send me no more letteArs no
Not Eunless you mail B7them
               A     E   E   Esus4   E2x
From Desolation Row
E A E B7 A E A E B7 A E A E A E B7 A E
* Alternate:
Capo II
     E= D  
     A= G  
    B7= A7  
 Esus4= Dsus4  
Set8

All chords in this song (8)

The story behind the song

"Desolation Row" paints a surreal, sprawling picture of entropy and urban chaos through a series of vivid vignettes. Dylan weaves together diverse characters and scenes, creating a sense of a frightening, mid-sixties American landscape. The lyrics evoke the feeling of a "city poetry," influenced by the bustling energy of New York, and even touch on themes of simpleminded political commitment amidst larger societal collapse. Playing this song is like taking a journey through a dreamlike, yet starkly real, portrait of a world on the edge.

AI-written from these sources:Desolation Row — Wikipedia ↗Bob Dylan — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

🎸 Tips from players

Got a tip for playing this song — capo position, easier chords, strumming? Be the first to share one.

Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

Desolation Row

by Bob Dylan

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

Esus4

Dsus4

Desolation Row chords *

Bob Dylan

E E E Esus4 E

[Verse 1]

They're selling postcards of the hanging,

A E

they're painting the passports brown;

the beauty parlor is filled with sailors,

A E

the circus is in town

Here comes the blind commissioner,

A E

they've got him in a trance;

one hand is tied to the tight-rope walker,

A E

the other is in his pants

And the riot squad they're restless,

E A

they need somewhere to go;

E B7

as lady and I look out tonight,

A E E Esus4 E

from Desolation Row

[Verse 2]

Cinderella, she seems so easy,

A E

"it takes one to know one," she smiles;

and puts her hands in her back pockets,

A E

Bette Davis style

And in comes Romeo, he's moaning,

A E

"you belong to me I believe";

and someone says," you're in the wrong place, my friend,

A E

you better leave"

And the only sound that's left,

E A

after the ambulances go;

E B7

is Cinderella sweeping up,

A E E Esus4 E

on Desolation Row

[Verse 3]

Now the moon is almost hidden,

A E

the stars are beginning to hide;

the fortunetelling lady,

A E

has even taken all her things inside

All except for Cain and Abel,

A E

and the hunchback of Notre Dame;

everybody is making love,

A E

or else expecting rain

And the Good Samaritan, he's dressing,

E A

he's getting ready for the show;

E B7

he's going to the carnival tonight,

A E E Esus4 E

on Desolation Row

[Verse 4]

Now Ophelia, she's 'neath the window,

A E

for her I feel so afraid;

on her twenty-second birthday,

A E

she already is an old maid

To her, death is quite romantic,

A E

she wears an iron vest;

her profession's her religion,

A E

her sin is her lifelessness

And though her eyes are fixed upon,

E A

Noah's great rainbow;

E B7

she spends her time peeking,

A E E Esus4 E

into Desolation Row

[Verse 5]

Einstein, disguised as Robin Hood

A E

With his memories in a trunk

Passed this way an hour ago

A E

With his friend, a jealous monk

He looked so immaculately frightful

A E

As he bummed a cigarette

Then he went off sniffing drainpipes

A E

And reciting the alphabet

Now you would not think to look at him

E A

But he was famous long ago

E B7

For playing the electric violin

A E Esus4 E

On Desolation Row

[Verse 6]

Dr. Filth, he keeps his world

A E

Inside of a leather cup

But all his sexless patients

A E

They're trying to blow it up

Now his nurse, some local loser

A E

She's in charge of the cyanide hole

And she also keeps the cards that read

A E

"Have Mercy on His Soul"

They all play on penny whistles

E A

You can hear them blow

E B7

If you lean your head out far enough

A E Esus4 E

From Desolation Row

[Verse 7]

Across the street they've nailed the curtains

A E

They're getting ready for the feast

The Phantom of the Opera

A E

A perfect image of a priest

They're spoon feeding Casanova

A E

To get him to feel more assured

Then they'll kill him with self-confidence

A E

After poisoning him with words

And the Phantom's shouting to skinny girls

E A

"Get Outa Here If You Don't Know

E B7

Casanova is just being punished for going

A E Esus4 E

To Desolation Row"

[Verse 8]

Now at midnight all the agents

A E

And the superhuman crew

Come out and round up everyone

A E

That knows more than they do

Then they bring them to the factory

A E

Where the heart-attack machine

Is strapped across their shoulders

A E

And then the kerosene

Is brought down from the castles

E A

By insurance men who go

E B7

Check to see that nobody is escaping

A E Esus4 E

To Desolation Row

[Verse 9]

Praise be to Nero's Neptune

A E

The Titanic sails at dawn

And everybody's shouting

A E

"Which Side Are You On?"

And Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot

A E

Fighting in the captain's tower

While calypso singers laugh at them

A E

And fishermen hold flowers

Between the windows of the sea

E A

Where lovely mermaids flow

E B7

And nobody has to think too much

A E E Esus4 E

About Desolation Row

E A E B7 A E A E B7 A E A E A E B7 A E

[Verse 10]

Yes, I received your letter yesterday

A E

(About the time the door knob broke)

When you asked how I was doing

A E

Was that some kind of joke?

All these people that you mention

A E

Yes, I know them, they're quite lame

I had to rearrange their faces

A E

And give them all another name

Right now I can't read too good

E A

Don't send me no more letters no

E B7

Not unless you mail them

A E E Esus4 E

From Desolation Row

E A E B7 A E A E B7 A E A E A E B7 A E

* Alternate:

Capo II

E D

A G

B7 A7

Esus4 Dsus4

Set8

About Desolation Row Chords by Bob Dylan

Learn how to play Desolation Row by Bob Dylan with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Desolation Row chords”, “Desolation Row guitar chords”, or “Bob Dylan Desolation Row chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Desolation Row chords and for experienced players who want accurate Desolation Row lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include E, Esus4, A, B7, D, G.

FAQ — Desolation Row by Bob Dylan

How do I play "Desolation Row" by Bob Dylan on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Desolation Row" by Bob Dylan on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "Desolation Row" by Bob Dylan free?

Yes. The chords for "Desolation Row" by Bob Dylan are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Desolation Row" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Desolation Row" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Desolation Row"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Desolation Row" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Desolation Row" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Desolation Row" by Bob Dylan with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Bob Dylan below.

What key is "Desolation Row" in?

The chords for "Desolation Row" show the original chord names (including E, Esus4, A, B7, D, G). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.