[Verse 1] We live in a political world Love don’t have any place We’re living in times where men commit crimes And crime don’t have a face
[Verse 2] We live in a political world Icicles hanging down Wedding bells ring and angels sing Clouds cover up the ground
[Verse 3] We live in a political world Wisdom is thrown into jail It rots in a cell, is misguided as hell Leaving no one to pick up a trail
[Verse 4] We live in a political world Where mercy walks the plank Life is in mirrors, death disappears Up the steps into the nearest bank
[Verse 5] We live in a political world Where courage is a thing of the past Houses are haunted, children are unwanted The next day could be your last
[Verse 6] We live in a political world The one we can see and can feel But there’s no one to check, it’s all a stacked deck We all know for sure that it’s real
[Verse 7] We live in a political world In the cities of lonesome fear Little by little you turn in the middle But you’re never sure why you’re here
[Verse 8]
We live in a political world Under the microscope You can travel anywhere and hang yourself there You always got more than enough rope
[Verse 9] We live in a political world Turning and a-thrashing about As soon as you’re awake, you’re trained to take What looks like the easy way out
[Verse 10] We live in a political world Where peace is not welcome at all It’s turned away from the door to wander some more Or put up against the wall [Verse 11]
We live in a political world Everything is hers or his Climb into the frame and shout God’s name But you’re never sure what it is
A rock introduction for this album and highlighted in concert. Dylan played this song quite often in 1990, but not at all since March 1991.
It reaffirms its lack of conviction in politics, even its disgust with it: We live in a “political world”, but it is more a situation suffered than a deliberate choice for the vast majority of people who can not act on this world. Spirituality is the only alternative, but one “will never be sure of what it is”. Finally, this song joins the theme of the Apocalypse, it is kind a compact “It’s Alright Ma” version.