Intro: | G C | G
C D G
The Machinist climbs his ferris wheel like a brave
C D G
And the fireeater's lyin' in a pool of sweat victim of the heatwave,
C D G C
Behind the tent the hired hand tightens his legs on the sword swallowers blade,
G
Circus town's on the shortwave
C D G
Well the runway lies ahead like a great false dawn,
C D G
Fat lady, big mama, Missy Bimbo sits in her chair and yawns,
C D G
And the man-beast lies in his cage sniffin' popcorn
C D G C
And the midget licks his fingers and suffers Missy Bimbo's scorn
G
Circus town's been born.
C G
Whoa and a press roll drummer go, ballerina to-and-fro cartwheelin' up on that tightrope,
C
With a cannon blast, lightin' flash, movin' fast through the tent, Mars bent,
G
He's gonna miss his fall,
D
Oh God save the human cannonball.
C G
And the flying Zambini's watch Marguarita do her neck twist,
C Am D
And the ringmaster gets the crowd to count along: 95, 96, 97.
C D Em
A ragged suitcase in his hand, he steals silently away from the circus grounds,
C D
And the highway's haunted by the carnival sounds
Em D C
They dance like a great greasepaint ghost on the wind,
Bm Em C
A man in baggy pants, a lonely face, a crazy grin,
G F C
Runnin' home to some small Ohio town
Em G D
Jesus, send some sweet women to save all your clowns
C B
And circus boy dances like a monkey on barbed wire,
C D G
And the barker romances with a junkie, she's got a flat tire,
C D G C
And now the elephants dance real funky and the band plays like a jungle fire,
G
Circus town's on the live wire.
C
And the strong man Sampson lifts the midget, little Tiny Tim, up on his shoulders, way up
G C G C G
And carries carries him on down the midway past the kids, past the sailors, to his dimly lit trailer
C G Dsus D
And the ferris wheel turns and turns like it ain't ever gonna stop,
Dsus D Dsus
And the circus boss leans over and whispers in the little boy's ear,
C G
Hey son you want to try the big top?
C G
All aboard, Nebraska's our next stop.