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7 <title>Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues
</title>
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13 <h1 class=
"songtitle">Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues
</h1>
16 <p>Written by Bob Dylan
<br />
17 Released on
<a class=
"recordlink" href=
"index.htm">The Bootleg Series
1-
3</a> (
1991) in a live version
18 from Carnegie Hall, New York City, Oct
26,
1963, and in another live
19 version on
<a class=
"recordlink" href=
"../43_bs6/index.htm">Live
1964</a> (
2004)
<br />
20 Tabbed by Eyolf
Østrem
</p>
24 <p>Standard Talkin' Blues pattern
</p>
29 [this is called: Talkin' John Birch Blues.
30 And there ain't nothing wrong with this song]
34 Well, I was feelin' sad and kind'a blue,
36 I didn't know what I was a-gonna do,
38 Them Communists wus a-comin' around,
42 They wus on the ground.
46 So I run down most hurriedly
47 And joined the John Birch Society,
48 got me a secret membership card
49 And went back home to the yard,
50 Started lookin' on the sidewalk,
53 Well, I got up in the mornin' 'n' looked under my bed,
54 I wus lookin' every place for them gol-darned Reds.
55 Looked behind the sink, and under the floor,
56 Looked in the glove compartment of my car.
57 Couldn't find any . . .
59 Looked behind the clothes, behind my chair
60 lookin' for them reds everywhere
61 looked up my chimney hole,
62 even deep down inside my toilet bowl,
65 I heard some foot-steps by the front porch door,
66 so I grabbed my shot-gun from the floor.
67 Snuck around the house with a huff and a hiss,
68 saying
"Hands up, you communist!
"
72 Well, I wus sittin' home alone an' started to sweat,
73 Figured they wus in my T.V. set.
74 I peeked behind the picture frame,
75 Got a shock from my feet that hit my brain.
77 Hootenanny Television . . .
79 Well, I quit my job so I could work alone,
80 got a magnifying glass like Sherlock Holmes.
81 Followed some clues from my detective bag
82 And discovered: red stripes on the American flag!
85 Now Eisenhower, he's a Russian spy,
86 Lincoln, Jefferson and that Roosevelt guy.
87 To my knowledge there's just one man
88 That's really a true American:
89 That's George Lincoln Rockwell.
90 I know for a fact he hates Commies cus he picketed the movie Exodus.
92 Well, I fin'ly started thinkin' straight
93 When I run outa things to investigate.
94 Couldn't imagine nothing else,
95 So now I'm home investigatin' myself!
96 Hope I don't find out too much . . . Good God!
101 <p>Verses not sung in the released version:
</p>
103 Now we all agree with Hitlers' views,
104 Although he killed six million Jews.
105 It don't matter too much that he was a Fascist,
106 At least you can't say he was a Communist!
107 That's to say like if you got a cold you take a shot of malaria.
109 Well, I investigated all the books in the library,
110 Ninety percent of 'em gotta be burned away.
111 I investigated all the people that I knowed,
112 Ninety-eight percent of them gotta go.
113 The other two percent are fellow Birchers . . . just like me.
118 <h2 class=
"songversion">Live
1964 (The Philharmonic Hall)
</h2>
120 [
"This is called, 'Talkin' John Birch ... PARANOID ... Blues'
122 It's a fictitious story...
"]
126 Well, I was feelin' sad and kind of blue,
127 I didn't know what I was gonna do,
128 The Communists were comin' around,
129 They were in the air,
130 They were on the ground.
133 So I ran down most hurriedly
134 And joined the John Birch Society,
135 I got me a secret membership card
136 went back to my back yard,
139 'neath the rose bush.
141 I wus lookin' everywhere for them gol-darned Reds,
142 I got up in the mornin' looked under my bed,
143 Looked behind the kitchen, behind the door,
144 even tore loose the kitchen floor,
145 Couldn't find any . . .
147 I looked beneath the sofa, beneath the chair
148 lookin' for them reds everywhere
149 I looked way up my chimney hole,
150 even deep down inside my toilet bowl,
153 I heard some foot-steps by the front porch door,
154 so I grabbed my shot-gun from the floor.
155 Snuck around the house with a huff and a hiss,
156 saying
"Hands up, you communist!
"
160 Well, I quit my job so I could work alone,
161 got a magnifying glass like Sherlock Holmes.
162 Following some clues from my detective bag
163 I discovered there was red stripes on the American flag!
164 Did you know about Betsy Ross . . .?
166 Well, I was sittin' home alone an' I started to sweat,
167 I figured they wus in my television set.
168 I peeked behind the picture frame,
169 Got a shock from my feet that hit my brain.
171 The ones on Hootenanny!
173 Well, I fin'ly started thinkin' straight
174 When I run outa things to investigate.
175 I couldn't imagine doing anyhing else,
176 So now I'm home investigatin' myself!
177 Hope I don't find out too much . . . Good God!