BIG TOP

Come to the Big Top, where the fun never stops
Look to the first ring, watch that clown thing
See them fall down, laugh at the funny clown
Even when you're blue, he's worse off than you.

See him reeling, staring at the ceiling
Smile on your face 'cause you're not in his place
Hey, get this!  Life is a circus!
When your heart stops, you can leave the Big Top.

Check out the freak show, even if you don't go
Look to the second ring, watch that tamer bring
Out his lion, see the beast cryin',
When you rage, they don't slap you in a cage.

See him roar, staring at the dirt floor
Laugh out loud 'cause you're sitting in the crowd
Hey, get this!  Life is a circus!
When your heart stops, you can leave the Big Top.

Look up high above the ring
The tightrope man is doing his thing
Without a net, you frightened yet?
I hope you're at your best, 'cause didn't you know?
You're next...

For you are the juggler, you are the freak show,
You are the lion and you're the clown,
That's you in the cage and you on the wire
And you on the floor, but don't let it get you down.

'Cause if you run just a little bit faster
With some luck you'll be the ringmaster.
Hey, get this!  Life is a circus!
If you don't stop, you can run the Big Top!

(If you control the clowns then you control the world,
 See all the flags and watch them all unfurl,
 But if you make a claim, you'd better make it true,
 'Cause if they don't get their money's worth
     They'll put the blame on you...)

Look at the elephant, as strong as any tree,
But when the master calls, he bows and bends his knee,
Is that love?  Is that respect?
If he doesn't bend, then what will he collect?
Oh, how the mighty fall,
When fear commands them not to stand so tall.

And do you see the guy who seems to have control?
He runs the show, but tell me, does he own his soul?
Who pulls the strings that make him dance?
Against the audience, he doesn't stand a chance.
Yeah, everyone's got a master,
Everyone's got a cop, beneath the Big Top.

And now you're high above the ring,
And you can't see a goddamn thing,
It's sink or swim now, it's do or die,
And if you can't learn to walk that wire,
     you might as well try to fly...

For you are the juggler, you are the freak show,
You are the lion and you're the clown,
That's YOU breaking free from the wire
And burning the Big Top down
Around their ears.

'Cause after all, you've got nothing to fear
If you've got nothing to lose
You've still got the brains to learn the rules
And break the chains that keep the fools
Under the Big Top.