It took me a while to track this song down! I was watching documentaries about the historic Barnum and Bailey Big Top, and for the first time in decades I suddenly remembered this song, and the line "but what will happen to the boy when the circus comes to town?" I remembered there were dates in it, but what dates? And I was sure the title would have to be something to do with the circus.
I kept searching and googling and finally thought: oh, this HAS to be a Harry Nilsson song! And I was right. So here it is, for the first time in 30 or 40 years at least. I FOUND IT! YouTube is wonderful.
And by 1944 the father walked right out the door
And in '45 the mom and son were still alive
But who could tell in '46 if the two were to survive?
Well the years were passing quickly
But not fast enough for him
So he closed his eyes 'til '55
And he opened them up again
When he looked around he saw a clown
And the clown seemed very gay
And he set that night
To join that circus clown and run away
Well he followed every railroad track
And every highway sign
And he had a girl in each new town
And the towns he left behind
And the open road
Was the only road he knew
But the color of his dreams
Slowly turning into blue
The he met a girl, the kind of girl
He wanted all his life
She was soft and kind and good to him
So he took her for a wife
And they got a house not far from town
And in a little while
The girl had seen the doctor
And she came home with a smile
Now in 1961 a happy father had a son
And by 1964 the father walked right out the door
And in '65 the mom and son were still around
But what will happen to the boy
When the circus comes to town?
