Used to sing folk songs - now those days are long gone
People wanted sing alongs - even though it felt wrong
At the Royal Albert Hall - started turning it on
Some would yawn, some would fawn - Made you withdrawn
You looked around, and turned them onto the news
With lyrics that go for pages long
Like Maggie's Positively Leopard-Skin Homesick Blues
All of it was brand new - Made you a guru
Knew it was untrue - thought they were kiddin you
Wished they knew what you knew - what you saw through
Cronkite covered you - then it all became a zoo
A hired clown, singing what they would choose
They'd all yell out what song to do
Play Maggie's Positively Leopard-Skin Homesick Blues
Ballad Of A Thin Man - into Memphis Blues Again
You became the spokesman - of a generation
A funny situation - the whole population
Showed their admiration - and their fascination
They were thinking, they were just like you
You'd done it once, you could do it again
Another Maggie's Positively Leopard-Skin Homesick Blues
Then came the incident - on your bike you went
Lying on the pavement - motorpsycho accident
Life-changing event - Wonder what it all meant
Found a house for rent - The Band in the basement
Hung it all up except your rock and roll shoes
But all of the fans they wanted you back
Do Maggie's Positively Leopard-Skin Homesick Blues
You went down to Tennessee - Sang bout Frankie Lee
I'll Be Your Baby - From The North Country
You and Johnny - did it so simply
Sung so differently - people didn't wanna see
What they'd need, the lines that you used to use
C'mon sing Queen Jane Approximately
Or Maggie's Positively Leopard-Skin Homesick Blues
Crowds they still came in - you couldn't shake them
They'd go where you'd take them - they been complainin'
Self portrait paintin' - when the 60s had to end
Even those remainin' - Highway 61 again
Like a Rolling Stone, who trashed you in their reviews
"You oughta be like you were back then"
Like Maggie's Positively Leopard-Skin Homesick Blues"
Don't react to that trash they say about second acts
After you and Sara packed - made Blood On The Tracks
Talk about how Bobby's back - I don’t know about that
Said you wore the black hat - Regardless of the facts ...
And the Hurricane - put you into the news
Still all your fans they'd like to crack,
"It's good, just not Positively Leopard-Skin Blues"
After Rolling Thunder - cast your God asunder
Found a different drummer - took Jesus like a lover
Folks start to wonder - if you made a blunder
Blasphemy or dumber - would you recover
Your take on God, just so odd and confused
They didn't think you could write another
Maggie's Positively Leopard-Skin Homesick Blues
They gave you farewells - didn't get Infidels
Silvio, "Ring Them Bells" - nothing really did sell
Reputation kind of fell - though you played really well
Was it fine or was it hell - I couldn't really tell
I gotta say, I love the way you'd refuse
To take requests when they would yell,
"Sing Maggie's Positively Leopard-Skin Homesick Blues"
Everything disappears - outlasted all your peers
Jeers have turned to cheers - they praise your whole career
Your music to their ears - People want souvenirs
It's another atmosphere - now that you're a pioneer
And the Hall of Fame, a place that makes you a-muse(d)
And after 40 years it took to get here
They still want Maggie's Positively Leopard-Skin Homesick Blues
Now your back where you began - kind of a bluesman
A 300-night stand - In front of old and new fans
Always in demand and - always with a new band
Always follow your hand - never with a master plan
And the Nobel Prize couldn’t get a hold of you
But now you’ll sing it cause you finally can
Play Maggie's Positively Leopard-Skin Homesick Blues
- Charlie Recksieck