Clean-Cut Kid
Bob Dylan · Original Album Classics [2010]
Adjust to what, a dream that bust?
He was a clean-cut kid
But they made a killer out of him,
That's what they did
They said what's up is down, they said what isn't is
They put ideas in his head he thought were his
He was a clean-cut kid
But they made a killer out of him,
That's what they did
He was on the baseball team, he was in the marching band
When he was ten years old he had a watermelon stand
He was a clean-cut kid
But they made a killer out of him,
That's what they did
He went to church on Sunday, he was a Boy Scout
For his friends he would turn his pockets inside out
He was a clean-cut kid
But they made a killer out of him,
That's what they did
They said, "Listen boy, you're just a pup"
They sent him to a napalm health spa to shape up
They gave him dope to smoke, drinks and pills,
A jeep to drive, blood to spill
They said "Congratulations, you got what it takes"
They sent him back into the rat race without any brakes
He was a clean-cut kid
But they made a killer out of him,
That's what they did
He bought the American dream but it put him in debt
The only game he could play was Russian roulette
He drank Coca-Cola, he was eating Wonder Bread,
Ate Burger Kings, he was well fed
He went to Hollywood to see Peter O'Toole
He stole a Rolls Royce and drove it in a swimming pool
They took a clean-cut kid
And they made a killer out of him,
That's what they did
He could've sold insurance, owned a restaurant or bar
Could've been an accountant or a tennis star
He was wearing boxing gloves, took a dive one day
Off the Golden Gate Bridge into China Bay
His mama walks the floor, his daddy weeps and moans
They gotta sleep together in a home they don't own
They took a clean-cut kid
And they made a killer out of him,
That's what they did
Well, everybody's asking why he couldn't adjust
All he ever wanted was somebody to trust
They took his head and turned it inside out
He never did know what it was all about
He had a steady job, he joined the choir
He never did plan to walk the high wire
They took a clean-cut kid
And they made a killer out of him,
That's what they did
Clean-Cut Kid
Bob Dylan's "Clean-Cut Kid" stands as a poignant exploration of lost innocence and the harsh realities of growing up in rural America. Recorded during the late 1960s, the track reflects Dylan's signature ability to weave narrative storytelling with folk-rock instrumentation, capturing the tension between youthful ideals and adult burdens. The song's enduring appeal lies in its universal themes of displacement and the search for identity, themes that resonate across generations. As part of his extensive discography, this recording exemplifies the period's focus on social commentary and personal introspection, cementing Dylan's status as a chronicler of the American experience. Its inclusion in various compilations highlights its significance within his broader catalog of work.