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