He walked up to the bandstand
And asked me, "Could an old man sit in?"
And across his face, I saw the pain
And I felt it in these words I heard him sing

I can't believe what I see when I look in life's mirror
So many leftover scars from a dreamer's career
I stole from the good life and now it wants payment from me
I've got nothing but memories and little to give back, you see

Now the show's almost over, let me sing one more song
The world sure looks lonely when the crowd's almost gone
So children, you listen, but don't sing along
'Cause the mountains are mean, boy, and the meaning all wrong

He said, "On my way up, I didn't want my woman around
You see, I was too busy bathing in the fame that I had found"
Now the circus is over, won't somebody please tell the clown?
And baby, I'm sorry, forgive me if I let you down

And the show's almost over, let me sing one more song
The world sure looks lonely when the crowd's almost gone
And children, you listen, no, but don't sing along
'Cause the mountains are mean and the meaning's all wrong

Hey, the show's almost over, let me sing one more song
The world sure looks lonely when the crowd's almost gone