The whistle blows as he makes his rounds
He's seen every town west of Mississippi
He's just a face painted all in smiles
Jumpin' up and down and makin' people happy

Though deep inside a shadow grows
He could laugh and no one knows
There's 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
Goin' '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 he's 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
Goin' 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round

He needs the love that can't be found
But you're 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
Goin' 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round

Goin' 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round
Goin' 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round
Goin' 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round
Goin' 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round
Goin' 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round
Goin' 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round

Copyright: Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Writer(s): Bobby Eli, Vinnie Barrett