I'm putting in a call to John and Paul,From a padded room in the pan and zoom Of this desperate town. Because they have what I need, in the long slow bleed That is sucking the life from my child and my wife In this desperate town. And the telephone is king Of the whole damn thing. And each word that is spoken Is just another promise broken. And each call is just more dope for all the junkies who live on hope. And I'm lord of the waiting clowns In this desperate town. Down in the L.A. basin, here with all the riots racing, I can't seem to shake the throb and the ache Of this desperate town. I can't sort the fact from fiction in this insane addiction. And all around the streets is friction, And no-one seems to understand my diction In this desperate town. And the telephone is king Of the whole damn thing. And each word that is spoken Is just another promise broken. And each call is just more dope for all the junkies who live on hope. And I'm lord of the waiting clowns In this desperate town. Oh my, Oh my head. The sound's so surround and the screen's so silver, It gives me a headache they don't make a pill for. The sun can be fun - but you're burning your bridges Trying to be cool in a land full of fridges. The make-up department is making my mind up. The hills are alive with the sound of a wind-up. I need to get back to the rainier weather, Iâ??m strung out and cut up - I can't stay forever In this desperate town. And the telephone is king Of the whole damn thing. And each word that is spoken Is just another promise broken. And each call is just more dope for all the junkies who live on hope. And I'm lord of the waiting clowns In this desperate town. Oh my, Oh my head