I originally wrote the chorus of this song 30 years ago in an improvised music session with some Brazilian women - we were doing an impromptu madi-gras! in the south west of England - all dancing round a field play every instrument we could find, including pots and pans - well the chorus stayed with me for 25 years - I had ideas for the verses -they were going to star: famous people from every age of time, Cleopatra, Moses, Bob Dylan, Einstein, etc...   
 
Eventually, a few years ago I was teaching a young student: music and I thought this would be a great song for him to play and sing if it was about a "circus!" the rest fell into place...
 
The boy went onto much musical success - he was/is amazingly talented and he was videoed playing/singing, this song like a 7 year old Elvis Presley. unfortunaltely I never got a copy of the video - such a shame - it was brilliant! .... there you go... such is the circus of life....

Lyrics

Flood gates.  
Words and Music by Tony Chapman. Copyrighted.
F    Bb  Ab         F    Bb  Ab         F    Bb  Ab    F     
CHORUS:
F      Ab         G4    Bb                    F                Cm  Bb
Open ………………. open up the floodgates 
Bb2            
push wide the windows 
Dbmj7  Eb         F         Cm     Bb
let the barriers down 
F       Ab         G4    Bb              F                Cm  Bb
Open, ……………….. open up floodgates 
Db7                                       C7                        F         (Bb  Ab F)
Put on your dancing shoes. The circus is in town.
__________________________ 
C                                     Gm
Eleplahants, acrobats, flame eater, strong man acts 
C
Applause 
C                                  Gm
Trapeze artist on air. So high up we all stare  
C
Crowd roars 
Db                Bbm            Ab
Lion tamer cracks his whip, 
B                       Abm                 Eb         C
sad eyed clowns tumble and trip
CHORUS:
 
Drum and cymbol crashing,coloured lights are flashing,
Thunder
Double jointed girl twists, see the contortionists,
Wonder
Tumbler jumps through hoops of fire,
Tight rope walker balances on the wire
CHORUS:
 
               Eb                                                        Bb
In every country, in every city, village and street
               Eb                                                             Bb
In every mountain, in every forest, desert and sea
E
Open your eyes, open your ears, 
F#
open your heart to the laughter and tears
G                                                               C
Inside (and) outside you and me, the circus is life and its free...
Instrumental over:  F, Eb, Bb, Db     (repeat)   C
Ballerina dances on a horse who prances 
round the ring
Juggler juggles sharp knives, magic laughter dust lies
On everything
Human cannonball takes aim, lady who was cut in two takes a bow
She's in one piece again                CHORUS.