Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls Children of all ages Welcome to the big top See the ferocious lions Thrill to the fabulous monkeys Laugh along with the hilarious clowns See them, life is a three ring circus The whistle blows as he makes his rounds Hes seen every town west of mississippi Hes just a face painted all in smiles Jumping up and down and maning a people happy Though deep inside a shadow grows He could laugh and no one knows Theres a lonely man inside Life is a three ring circus All of the ups and downs of a carousel That I know so well Life is a three ring circus Just one little ride on a merry-go-round Going round and round and round and round and round He does the best like the minstrel did Just to please the kids and keep the people laughing But no one knows that beneath the clothes And his turned up nose lies a lonely beggar He needs the love he spreads around But in life hes just a clown Till they bring the curtain down Life is a three ring circus All of the ups and downs of a carousel That I know so well Life is a three ring circus Just one little ride on a merry-go-round Going round and round and round and round and round He needs the love that cant be found But you are just too blind to see That the clown is really needy Life is a three ring circus All of the ups and downs of a carousel That I know so well Life is a three ring circus Just one little ride on a merry-go-round Going round and round and round and round and round Going round and round and round and round and round Going round and round and round and round and round Going round and round and round and round and round Going round and round and round and round and round Going round and round and round and round and round Going round and round and round and round and round