life in the circus ain't easy
but the folks on the outside don't know
the tent goes up and the tent comes down
and all that they see is the show
and the ladies on the horses look so pretty
and the lions are lookin real mad
and some of the clowns are happy
and some of the clowns are sad
there's another expression
that the makeup isn't making
there's an art to the laughter
and there's a lot of love
here we go. we live to hear the slack-jawed gasping
we live under a halo of held breath
and when the children raise up a giant shield
it's like they're fending off death
and we can make somethig bigger
and then the clowns will take off their makeup
and the people will go home
but life on the outside ain't easy
and they're stuck in this fucking town
you need a lot of love and compliance