Wild Billy's Circus Story

Wild Billy's Circus Story

The machinist climbs his Ferris wheel like a braid

And the fire-eater's lyin' in a pool of sweat, victim of the heat wave

Behind the tent

, the hired hand tightens his legs on the sword swallower's blade

Circus town's on the shortwave

Well, the runway lies ahead like a great false dawn

Fat lady, big mama, Missy Bimbo sits in her chair and yawns

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

And the midget licks his fingers and suffers Missy Bimbo's scorn

Circus town's been born

And a press roll drummer go

Ballerina to-and-fro, cartwheelin' up on that tightrope

With a cannon blast, lightnin' flash

Movin' fast through the tent, Mars-bent

He's gonna miss his fall, oh, God save the human cannonball

And the flyin' Zambinis watch Margarita do her neck twist

And the ringmaster gets the crowd to count along:95, 96, 97

A ragged suitcase in his hand

He steals silently away from the circus grounds

And the highway's haunted by the carnival sounds

They dance like a great greasepaint ghost on the wind

A man in baggy pants, a lonely face, a crazy grin

Runnin' home to some small Ohio town

Jesus, send some good women to save all your clowns

And Circus Boy dances like a monkey on barbed wire

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

And now the elephants dance real funky

And the band plays like a jungle fire

Circus town's on the live wire

And the strong man Samson

Lifts the midget, little Tiny Tim, up on his shoulders, way up

And carries him on down the midway

Past the kids, past the sailors, to his dimly lit trailer

And the Ferris wheel turns and turns like it ain't ever gonna stop

And the circus boss leans over and whispers into the little boy's ear

"Hey, son, you want to try the big top “

All aboard, Nebraska's our next stop"