All the early Roman kings
In their sharkskin suits
Bow ties and buttons
High top boots
Drivin' the spikes in
Blazin' the rails
Nailed in their coffins
In top hats and tails

Fly away, little bird
Fly away, flap your wings
Fly by night
Like the early Roman kings

All the early Roman kings
In the early, early morn'
Coming down the mountain
Distributing the corn
Speeding through the forest
Racing down the track
You try to get away
They drag you back

Tomorrow is Friday
We'll see what it brings
Everybody's talking
'Bout the early Roman kings

They're peddlers and they're meddlers
They buy and they sell
They destroyed your city
They'll destroy you as well
They're lecherous and treacherous
Hell-bent for leather
Each of 'em bigger
Than all men put together

Sluggers and muggers
Wearing fancy gold rings
All the women goin' crazy
For the early Roman kings

I can dress up your wounds
With a blood-clotted rag
I ain't afraid to make love
To a bitch or a hag
If you see me comin'
And you're standing there
Wave your handkerchief
In the air

I ain't dead yet
My bell still rings
I keep my fingers crossed
Like them early Roman kings

I can strip you of life
Strip you of breath
Ship you down
To the house of death
One day
You will ask for me
There'll be no one else
That you'll wanna see

Bring down my fiddle
Tune up my strings
I'm gonna break it wide open
Like the early Roman kings

I was up on black mountain
The day Detroit fell
They killed 'em all off
And they sent 'em to hell
Ding dong daddy
You're coming up short
Gonna put you on trial
In a Sicilian court

I've had my fun
I've had my flings
Gonna shake 'em all down
Like the early Roman kings

Copyright: Universal Music Publishing Group
Writer(s): BOB DYLAN