Joni Mitchell Follow

Old Beale Street is coming down
Sweeties' snack bar, boarded up now
And there goes the tailor and the shine boy's gone
Faded out with ragtime blues

Handy's cast in bronze and he's standing in a little park
With his trumpet in his hand like he's listening back
To the good old bands
And the click of high heeled shoes

Old furry sings the blues propped up in his bed
With his dentures and his leg removed
And Ginny's there for her kindness and furry's beer
She's the old man's angel overseer

Pawn shops glitter like gold tooth caps
In the grey decay
They chew the last few dollars off
Old beale street's carcass

Carrion and Mercy, blue and silver sparkling drums
Cheap guitars, eye shades and guns
Aimed at the hot blood of being no one
Down and out in Memphis Tennessee

Old furry sings the blues
You bring him smoke and drink and he'll play for you
It's mostly muttering now and sideshow spiel
But there was one song he played I could really feel

There's a double bill murder at the New Daisy

She's silent waiting for the wrecker's beat
Silent staring at her stolen name

Diamond boys and satin dolls
Bourbon laughter ghosts history falls
To parking lots and shopping malls
They tear down old Beale Street

Old Furry sings the blues
He points a bony finger at you and says "I don't like you"
Everybody laughs as if it's the old man's standard joke
But it's true, we're only welcome for our drink and smoke

W.C. Handy, I'm rich and I'm fay
And I'm not familiar with what you played
But I get such strong impressions of your hey day
Looking up and down old Beale Street

Ghosts of the darktown society
Come right out of the bricks at me
Like it's a Saturday night
They're in their finery dancing it up and makin' deals

Furry sings the blues
Why should I expect that old guy to give it to me true
Fallen to hard luck and time and other thieves
While our limo is shining on his shanty street
Old Furry sings the blues

Old Beale Street is coming down
Sweeties' snack bar, boarded up now
And there goes the tailor and the shine boy's gone