When The Circus Comes To Town

Verse 1

Truck rolled in on a Tuesday night

Headlights cutting through the dust

I was leaning on the feed store porch

Watching everything turn to rust

Painted wagons and a broken man

Holding tickets to the rain

He said boy you look like you could use

A little something to ease the pain

Pre-Chorus

I paid my money to the roustabout

Climbed the risers row by row

Chorus

When the circus comes to town

Everybody hides their sorrow

We all cheer for the clowns

Till they pack up for tomorrow

And the big top folds away

Like a promise never kept

When the circus comes to town

We pretend we haven't wept

Post-Chorus

Whoa whoa whoa

Whoa whoa whoa

Verse 2

Jenny left in ninety-four

With a card trick and a smile

She said darling this ain't no place

For a girl to stay a while

I saw her swing from the trapeze

Thirty feet above the ground

She never once looked down at me

Not once till they packed out of town

Pre-Chorus

I bought a ticket every night

Just to watch her fly so free

Chorus

When the circus comes to town

Everybody hides their sorrow

We all cheer for the clowns

Till they pack up for tomorrow

And the big top folds away

Like a promise never kept

When the circus comes to town

We pretend we haven't wept

Bridge

Now the field is quiet grass

The sawdust blown to bits

I saved a faded poster

And a memory of her hands

Some folks call it foolish

Chasing what keeps moving on

But I've been waiting twenty years

For that same old song

Guitar Solo

Chorus

When the circus comes to town

Everybody hides their sorrow

We all cheer for the clowns

Till they pack up for tomorrow

And the big top folds away

Like a promise never kept

When the circus comes to town

We pretend we haven't wept

Post-Chorus

Whoa whoa whoa

Whoa whoa whoa

Final Chorus

When the circus comes to town

I will still be waiting there

Same old coat and sorry boots

Same old prayers up in the air

And the big top folds away

Like a promise never kept

When

Outro

Haven't wept

Haven't wept

Haven't wept

Verse 3

Last night I dreamed the trucks rolled in

Same old diesel growl and shine

I was standing in the same old spot

Ten years older, half a mind

The roustabout he smiled at me

Said you still got that look

I started to say I'm fine, son

But I knew I'd be mistook

Pre-Chorus

I paid my money to the roustabout

Climbed the risers one more time

Chorus

When the circus comes to town

Everybody hides their sorrow

We all cheer for the clowns

Till they pack up for tomorrow

And the big top folds away

Like a promise never kept

When the circus comes to town

We pretend we haven't wept

Post-Chorus

Whoa whoa whoa

Whoa whoa whoa

Verse 4

The lights came up and there she stood

Slight of hand and silver-tongued

Only this time it was her daughter

Flying high like she was young

I didn't wait for her to land

I didn't wave or call her name

I just let the years roll off my back

Felt the freedom all the same

Pre-Chorus

I sold my ticket to a kid

Who looked at me like I used to be

Chorus

When the circus comes to town

Everybody hides their sorrow

We all cheer for the clowns

Till they pack up for tomorrow

And the big top folds away

Like a promise never kept

When the circus comes to town

We pretend we haven't wept

Post-Chorus

Whoa whoa whoa

Whoa whoa whoa

Bridge

I drove home beneath the stars

The gravel singing underneath

I hung that poster on the wall

And I finally found relief

Twenty years I held that rope

Tied tight around my chest

Tonight I cut the damn thing loose

And laid my worries down to rest

Guitar Solo

Final Chorus

When the circus comes to town

I'll be somewhere else by then

Out on some back highway

With the radio playing hymns

And the big top folds away

Like a promise never kept

When the circus comes to town

I'll be done with all that wept

Outro

Done with weeping

Done with weeping

Done with weeping

Whoa whoa whoa

Whoa whoa whoa

Done with weeping

Done with weeping