life in the circus ain't easy. but the folks on the outside don't know. the tent goes up and the tent comes down. and all that they see is the show. and the ladies on the horses look so pretty. and the lions are lookin real mad. and some of the clowns are happy. and some of the clowns are sad. but underneath there's another expression that the makeup isn't making. life under the big top, it's about freedom, it's about faking. there's an art to the laughter, there's a science and there's a lot of love and compliance.



welcome to the freakshow, here we go...



we live to hear the slack-jawed gasping. we live under a halo of held breath. and when the children raise up a giant shield of laughter, it's like they're fending off death and we can make somethig bigger than anyone of us alone. and then the clowns will take off their makeup and the people will go home. but life on the outside ain't easy. no sequins, no elephants, no parading around. yeah, the tent goes up and the tent comes down and they're stuck in this fucking town. you need a lot of love and compliance.



welcome to the freakshow, here we go...

-ani difranco, freakshow-