They say he ran a carnival
That used to come to town
'Til one September afternoon
He shut it down
They tell me something happened
Some say he lost his mind
Now most September afternoons
This is what you find
An old man on the corner
Where he used to sell the show
Now he shouts what sounds like foolishness
As the people come and go

New lives for old
Warm hearts for cold
Have I got a deal for you today
Come on, step right this way
And get your new lives for old

He puts it in the paper
He goes from door to door
The people say, "He's such a fool
To come back for more"
Old friends are mostly puzzled
They don't know what to say
'Cause ever since that afternoon
He's just been that way
It's like the old man died
And someone came to take his place
Now he just stands out there bellowin'
A smile upon his wrinkled face

New lives for old
Warm hearts for cold
Have I got a deal for you today
Come on, step right this way
And get your new lives for old

Remembering this story
As I once passed through that town
I thought I ought to stop and see
If he's still around
There was someone on that corner
Where I heard he'd always stand
And he chuckled when I asked him
Where I could find the man
He said, "Thank God that crazy fool
Finally died last spring"
And I said, "I'll take up where he left off then
'Cause I'm pushing the same thing"

New lives for old
Warm hearts for cold
Have I got a deal for you today
Come on, step right this way
And get your new lives for old

New lives for old
Warm hearts for cold
Have I got a deal for you today
Come on, step right this way
And get your new lives for old