THE MAN ON THE FLYING TRAPEZE
George Leybourne
As sung on June 25 2006 (Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center)
Well once I was happy, but now I'm forlorn
Like an old coat that is tattered and torn
Left on this world to fret and to mourn
Betrayed by a maid barely out of her teens
The girl that I loved she was handsome
And I tried all I knew her to please
But I just couldn't please her a quarter as well
As the man up on the trapeze
He flys through the air with the greatest of ease
The daring young man on the flying trapeze
His movements were graceful
All the girls he could please
and my love he stole her away
Now the young man by name was Sydro Bonswain
He was tall big and handsome
His wellbuilt frame
Whereever he appeared the whole town did rang with ovations from all people there
He smiled from the bar on the people below
And one night he smiled on my love
She winked back at him and she shouted
Bravo as he hung by his nose up above
Her father and mother were both on my side
Very hard they tried to make her my bride
Her father he sighed and her mother she cried to see her throw herself away
But it was all to avail she went there every night
and she threw him bouquets on the stage
it caused him to meet her and how he ran me down
to tell you would take the whole fucking page
He flys through the air with the greatest of ease
The daring young man on the flying trapeze
His movements were graceful
All the girls he could please
and my love he stole her away
Well one night as usual I went to her home
And I found there her father and her mother alone
I asked for my love and soon they made known
To my horror that she'd run away
She'd packed up a box and eloped in the night
with him with the greatest of ease
From two stories high he lowered her down
to the ground on the fucking trapeze
He flys through the air with the greatest of ease
The daring young man on the flying trapeze
His movements were graceful
All the girls he could please
and my love he stole her away
Some months after this I went to the circus hall
I was greatly surprised to see there on the wall
A bill in red letters my heart it did gaul
That she was appearing with him
He taught her gymnastics
Dressed her in tights
To help him live a life of ease
As I stood there staring up into the lights
There she flew on the flying trapeze
SHE flys through the air with the greatest of ease
The daring young girl on the flying trapeze
She does all the work
While he takes his ease
And my love he stole it away.
They fly through the air with the greatest of ease
The daring young pair on the flying trapeze
His movements were graceful
All the girls he could please
and my love he stole her away
Thanks to Brenda for the lyrics
Lyrics | Springsteen page