You shouldn’t put a lion in a cage
On a cart, on a train to go travel so far
And everyone knows better but it’s something we pay to see
He’s strong and wild
In all the ways that you’d like to be

I'll take the best care of you
Do whatever I can
Find some strength in virtue
Come up with some sort of a plan
Night falls in the tent
We are under bright lights like the sun
For a moment he forgets
And in these moments, we are one

And everybody lovеs a circus
But nobody knows it as well as I do
You ask me if it’s worth it
I say that it’s what I know best how to do
And еverybody loves a circus
But nobody knows it as well as I do
You ask me if it’s worth it
I say that it is if it leads me to you
Mmmhmmm

You shouldn’t put an elephant in chains for so long
He remembers everything but not where he went wrong
And everyone knows better yet it’s something that we still do
He’s kind despite the places
That you're paying to bring him to
I'll take the best care of you
And I’ll do whatever I can
I’ll find some strength in virtue
Come up with some sort of a plan
Night falls in the tent
We are under bright lights like the sun
For a moment he forgets
And in these moments, we are one

And everybody loves a circus
But nobody knows it as well as I do
You ask me if it’s worth it
I’ll tell you that it’s what I know best how to do
And everybody loves a circus
But nobody knows what I’ve put me through
You ask me if it’s worth it
I say that it is if it leads me to you
Mmmhmmm

But then you came
You didn’t need glass slippers for your feet
Just something for after the showers
To keep ‘em clean, and you're like me
You didn’t like lions and elephants for admission fees
We didn't speak about it but the day would come we would set them
Then you came
Sat on my lap held a blade against my throat
You could cut me I didn’t mind to bleed at all
And you're like me
You didn’t like the lions and elephants for admission fees
We didn't talk about it but the day would come we would set them free

And everybody loves a circus
But nobody knows it as well as I do
You ask me if it’s worth it
I tell you it’s what I know best how to do
And everybody loves a circus
But nobody knows it as well as I do
You ask me if it’s worth it
I tell you it is if it leads me to you

Mmmmmmhhhhmmm
Mmmmmmhhhhmmm