The machinist climbs his ferris wheel like a brave

And the fire eater's lyin' in a pool of sweat victim of the heatwave

Behind the tent the leatherboy tightens his legs

On the sword swallower's blade

Circus town's on the shortwave



Well now (and) the runway lies ahead like a great false dawn

Oh fat lady, Missy Bimbo, sits in her chair and yawns

And the man-beast lies in his cage sniffin' popcorn

The midget licks his fingers and suffers Missy Bimbo's scorn

The circus town's been born



Oh and a (the) press-roll drummer go, ballerina to-and-fro

Cart-wheelin' up on (across) the tightrope

(And) with a cannon blast, lightning flash, moving fast through

The tent Mars bent, he's gonna miss his fall

Oh God save the human cannonball



And the flying Zambini's watch Marguerita do her neck twist

(And) the ringmaster gets the crowd to count along

Ninety-five, ninety-six,....ninety-seven

And behind the tent half bent money spent

With his wet face fallin' (make-up drippin') on the ground

With a half-smile half-frown goin' down

Oh Jesus sent some sweet women to save all the clowns



And circus boy dances like a monkey on barbed wire

And the barker romances with a junkie, she's got a flat tyre

And the elephants dance real funky, and the band plays like a jungle fire

Circus town's on the live wire



Samson lifts the midget up above the liars

Hear the liars, they're outside crying

Hear the liars, they're inside sighing

Hear the liars, listenin' to the barker

Hear the liars, watching the centre ring

Oh hear the liars, up on the trapeze

Oh hear the liars, feel their fire

Oh hear the liars, feel their fire

Oh hear the liars, they're all scared of