Joey
Bob Dylan
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Born in Red Hook, Brooklyn, in the year of who knows when Opened up his eyes to the tune of an accordion Always on the outside of whatever side there was When they asked him why it had to be that way, well, he answered, just because Larry was the oldest, Joey was next to last They called Joe Crazy, the baby they called Kid Blast Some say they lived off gambling and runnin' numbers too It always seemed they got caught between the mob and the men in blue Joey, Joey King of the streets, child of clay Joey, Joey What made them want to come and blow you away There was talk they killed their rivals, but the truth was far from that No one ever knew for sure where they were really at When they tried to strangle Larry, Joey almost got hit the roof He went out that night to seek revenge, thinkin' he was bulletproof Then, the war broke out at the break of dawn, it emptied out the streets Joey and his brothers suffered terrible defeats Till they ventured out behind the lines and took five prisoners They stashed them away in a basement, called them amateurs The hostages were tremblin' when they heard a man exclaim Let's blow this place to kingdom come, let Con Edison take the blame But Joey stepped up, he raised his hand, said, we're not those kind of men It's peace and quiet that we need to go back to work again Joey, Joey King of the streets, child of clay Joey, Joey What made them want to come and blow you away The police department hounded him, they called him Mr. Smith They got him on conspiracy, they were never sure who with What time is it? said the judge to Joey when they met Five to ten, said Joey, the judge says, that's exactly what you get He did ten years in Attica, reading Nietzsche and Wilhelm Reich They threw him in the hole one time for tryin' to stop a strike His closest friends were black men 'cause they seemed to understand What it's like to be in society with a shackle on your hand They let him out in '71 he'd lost a little weight But he dressed like Jimmy Cagney and I swear he did look great He tried to find the way back into the life he left behind To the boss he said, I have returned and now I want what's mine Joey, Joey King of the streets, child of clay Joey, Joey What made them want to come and blow you away It was true that in his later years he would not carry a gun I'm around too many children, he'd say, they should never know of one Yet he walked right into the clubhouse of his lifelong deadly foe Emptied out the register, said, tell 'em it was Crazy Joe One day they blew him down in a clam bar in New York He could see it comin' through the door as he lifted up his fork He pushed the table over to protect his family Then he staggered out into the streets of Little Italy Joey, Joey King of the streets, child of clay Joey, Joey What made them want to come and blow you away Sister Jacqueline and Carmela and mother Mary all did weep I heard his best friend Frankie say, he ain't dead, he's just asleep Then I saw the old man's limousine head back towards the grave I guess he had to say one last goodbye to the son that he could not save The sun turned cold over President Street and the town of Brooklyn mourned They said a mass in the old church near the house where he was born And someday if God's in heaven overlookin' His preserve I know the men that shot him down will get what they deserve Joey, Joey King of the streets, child of clay Joey, Joey What made them want to come and blow you away
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Written by: DYLAN BOB, LEVY JACQUES
Lyrics © BOB DYLAN MUSIC CO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
13 facts about this song
Album Release"Joey" is part of the 1976 album "Desire" by American singer-songwriter, Bob Dylan.
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Song DurationWith a length of 11 minutes and 5 seconds, "Joey" is one of Dylan's longest songs.
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ContentThe song tells the story of mobster Joey Gallo, who was seen as a heroic figure in the eyes of local citizens and the oppressed.
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Mixed ReceptionWhile some critics consider "Joey" as an interesting story-song, others criticize it for glorifying a violent mobster.
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Collaboration"Joey" was co-written with Jacques Levy, a theater director and songwriter who worked with Dylan on many songs of the "Desire" album.
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Live PerformancesDespite the controversy, Dylan performed "Joey" live several times, most notably during the Rolling Thunder Revue tour.
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Chart SuccessEven though "Joey" itself did not chart, "Desire" topped the Billboard Pop Albums chart for five weeks and sold enormously.
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Studio RecordingThe song was recorded on July 31, 1975, at A&R Recording in New York City.
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Streaming Platforms"Joey" is available on music streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
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ImpactGallo's family actually responded positively to the song, believing that it accurately portrayed their relative. Dylan even met and performed the song to Joey's widow and daughter.
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Cinematic Inspiration"Joey" has since inspired the crime drama film "Kill the Irishman" which retold the story of Danny Green's fight against the Italian mob.
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Unusual StructureUnlike many of Dylan's songs, which often rely on metaphors and cryptic language, "Joey" is straightforward and narrative, more similar to a short story than a traditional song.
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InstrumentationLike other songs on "Desire", "Joey" features violinist Scarlet Rivera, whose unique sound contributes significantly to the song's atmosphere.
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Citation
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"Joey Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/30519126/Bob+Dylan/Joey>.
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