[Verse 1] Fat man looking in a blade of steel Thin man looking at his last meal Hollow man looking in a cotton field For dignity [Verse 2] Wise man looking in a blade of gra** Young man looking in the shadows that pa** Poor man looking through painted gla** For dignity [Verse 3] Somebody got murdered on New Year's Eve Somebody said dignity was the first to leave I went into the city, went into the town Went into the land of the midnight sun [Verse 4] Searching high, searching low Searching everywhere I know Asking the cops wherever I go Have you seen dignity? [Verse 5] Blind man breaking out of a trance Puts both his hands in the pockets of chance Hoping to find one circumstance Of dignity [Verse 6] I went to the wedding of Mary Lou She said, “I don't want nobody see me talking to you” Said she could get k**ed if she told me what she knew About dignity [Verse 7] I went down where the vultures feed I would've gone deeper, but there wasn't any need Heard the tongues of angels and the tongues of men Wasn't any difference to me [Verse 8] Chilly wind sharp as a razor blade House on fire, debts unpaid Gonna stand at the window, going to ask the maid Have you seen dignity? [Verse 9] Drinking man listens to the voice he hears
In a crowded room full of covered-up mirrors Looking into the lost forgotten years For dignity [Verse 10] Met Prince Phillip at the home of the blues Said he'd give me information if his name wasn't used He wanted money up front, said he was abused By dignity [Verse 11] Footprints running across the silver sand Steps going down into tattoo land I met the sons of darkness and the sons of light In the border towns of despair [Verse 12] Got no place to fade, got no coat I'm on the rolling river in a jerkin boat Trying to read a note somebody wrote About dignity [Verse 13] Sick man looking for the doctor's cure Looking at his hands for the lines that were And into every masterpiece of literature For dignity [Verse 14] Englishman stranded in the black-heart wind Combing his hair back, his future looks thin Bites the bullet and he looks within For dignity [Verse 15] Someone showed me a picture and I just laughed Dignity never been photographed I went into the red, went into the black Into the valley of dry bone dreams [Verse 16] So many roads, so much at stake So many dead ends, I'm at the edge of the lake Sometimes I wonder what it's going to take To find dignity