[Intro]
Bob Dylan is my father, Joan Baez is my mother
And I'm their bastard son

[Verse 1]
Though my roots show through I'm just twenty-two
I don't belong to anyone
When The Band was disbanded, I was disowned
I got a number you can ring me on but I ain't got no phone
Got a forwarding address, baby I ain't got no home
I got no direction home

[Refrain]
That's the style of a bastard child
This is the song of a bastard son

[Verse 2]
Uncle Lenny used to make me laugh
Took away my nightmares, tore my daydreams in half
Showed them to me reflected upside-down
In the mirror that Suzanne Vega found (Why not?)
Leonard's still doing his tricks today
Only goes to show that growing up might pay, yeah

[Refrain]
That's the style of a bastard child
This is the song of a bastard son
[Verse 3]
Well, Bruce and James were family friends
Took my mind to Carolina through the New Jersey bends
Gave me a harmonica when I was three
Nailed a banjo to my knees
Now Bruce is a foreman, James is a slave
Bruce gave in and James just gave up

[Bridge]
My family didn't grow up too well with technology
And I think this is why they disowned me
But now I wanna get back into the fold
I don't wanna be a black sheep, I don't wanna grow old
Here's to Warren, Neil, T-Bone, Andy, Lou, John, Elliott
Townes, Tom, Elizabeth, Elvis, Dave
You're singing something good man, it's gotta be saved
I think so!

[Refrain]
That's the style of a bastard child
This is the song of a bastard son
Take it down

[Verse 5]
I've only just started playing the guitar
Already they say I'm a has-been
Say my songs too long, words too strong, my shoes aren't clean
The synthesizer's broken, the twelve-inch does not exist
It's gonna take me a blessed life to get on to your hit list
I'm gonna need a blessed life to get on to the hit list
But I'm singing for the men, for the women and the kids
Who grew up like me with seven basic instincts hid
[Refrain]
That's the style of a bastard child
This is the song of a bastard son
That's the style of a bastard child
This is the song of a bastard son

[Outro]
Bob Dylan is my father, Joan Baez is my mother
And I'm their bastard son