SONGS:
-- Flying Circus --
(unreleased) 1968 or before

Lyrics:

Well you say you got troubles
All kinds of worries
Let 'em go up in smoke
No need to hurry
Just as long as you put 'em down
'Cause, baby, the Flying Circus is in town

Your man left you last night
Said he wasn't coming back
Don't get uptight
Just get on the right track
Move on down to that take-off place
They got something there'll put a big smile on your face

Pick up your nickels and gather up your dimes
Go down to the corner, buy the diamond mine
There's a man standing there with a black patch on his eye
He's selling tickets for the Flying Circus ride

Well, all kinds of problems torturin' your mind
Maybe it's because you've been walkin' a straight line
Try turning corners for a change
You might find yourself in the middle of a shooting range


  • 5 October 2003:

    Lyrics submitted by Rob Caldwell.

    Note: The songs The Flying Circus and Frankly Stoned were recorded by Maple Oak, a Canadian outfit based in London who recorded an album for Decca in 1970. Originally, Peter Quaife of The Kinks was in them but he left before they did the album that included these songs. The reason why they were included on the album is that two members: Marty Fisher and Gordon MacBain had played in Bruce's post-Children/Esquires and pre-3's a Crowd outfits John Q Public, The Flying Circus and Olivus from mid-1967-mid 1968. In fact, it was the Flying Circus that played songs like Bird Lady and Saint Martha's Earthworm. This last track was co-written by James Livington aka Jimmy Livingston who fronted at one point or another, The Mynah Birds (with Rick James but before Neil Young), Just Us, The Tripp and Livingston's Journey. All of these bands, except the first included guitarist Stan Endersby who interestingly enough was the third Canadian in Maple Oak!

    Michael Ferry who co-wrote 'Ice Cream Under the Sun' was otherwise known as Lee Jackson and co-fronted Jon and Lee & The Checkmates. For more information about some of these bands, visit www.classicrockpage.com and go to the 'Ever heard of' section which has articles on Stan Endersby and 3's a Crowd, both of which refer to Bruce.

    -- submitted to the Project by Nick.


    Known comments by Bruce Cockburn about this song, by date:


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