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


And everybody loves a circus
But nobody knows it as well as I do
Mmmhmmm
You ask me if it's worth it
I say that it's what I know best how to do
Mmmhmmm
And everybody 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


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


And everybody loves a circus
But nobody knows it as well as I do
Mmmhmmm
You ask me if it's worth it
I say that it's what I know best how to do
Mmmhmmm
Everybody 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


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 talk 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


Everybody loves a circus
But nobody knows it as well as I do
Mmmhmmm
You ask me if it's worth it
I say that it's what I know best how to do
Mmmhmmm
And everybody 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


Mmmmmmhhhhmmm
Mmmmmmhhhhmmm