In a smoky tent I approached his loudness Step by step up the long stairway And looked into the barrel at Evil Knievel's great grandfather Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival He was flying by in a silver jacket He rode there in the barrel wall racket Securely held by centrifugal forces Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival Every time he touched the edge With a gasp I gulped the fumes in my lungs And felt my mind exploding! Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival Flying through the air With the greatest of ease The daring young lady In the greatest show on earth The giant wheel turned in the sky Its colors flashed in my eye The barkers calling to me on the midway! Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival I held the picture in my eye From a photo booth nearby With a girl so lovely I loved her dearly at the time Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival She had the sugar in her eyes I was totally mesmerized As we walked together towards the big top Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival Flying through the air With the greatest of ease The daring young lady In the greatest show on earth Aside a girl of flaming red hair Later that day I returned there Perhaps the devil himself had been the father? Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival Then we consumed the giant midway Taking it in 'til it threw us away Yes, we wandered among the crowds of circus goers, circus goers Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival Eating fire and swallowing snakes A potpourri of nature's mistakes On display at the tent of the bearded ladies Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival Grinding through the night With the greatest of ease The daring young lady In the greatest show on earth We were grinding to the human beat There was nothing safe about it Nothing was right and nothing was wrong on the midway Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival I do resent too much time was spent In the tent of the strange Elephant of enlightenment! Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival My mind was free; my thoughts were pure How much good could a man endure As he made his way towards the big top Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival Flying through the air With the greatest of ease The daring young lady In the greatest show on earth Grinding through the night to the human beat There is nothing safe about it Nothing safe about the greatest show on Earth! Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival