The Daring Young Man On The Flying Trapeze

Album: Circus Classics (1867)
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  • Once I was happy but now I'm forlorn
    Like an old coat that is tattered and town
    Left on this wide world to fret and to mourn,
    Betrayed by a maid in her teens

    The girl that I loved she was handsome
    I tried all I knew her to please
    But I could not please her one quarter so well
    Like that man up on the Trapeze

    CHORUS:
    He'd fly through the air with the greatest of ease
    A daring young man on the flying Trapeze
    His movements were graceful, all girls he could please
    And my love he purloined away

    This young man by name was Signor Bona Slang
    Tall, big, and handsome as well made as Chang
    Where'er he appeared the Hall loudly rang
    With ovation from all people there

    He'd smile from the bar on the people below
    And one night he smiled on my love
    She winked back at him and she shouted, "Bravo!"
    As he hung by his nose up above!

    CHORUS

    Her father and mother were both on my side
    And very hard tried to make her my own bride
    Her father he sighed and her mother she cried
    To see her throw herself away

    'Twas all no avail she went there ev'ry night
    And would throw him Boquets on the stage
    Which caused him to meet her, how he ran me down
    To tell you would take a whole page

    CHORUS

    One night I as usual went to her dear home,
    Found there her father and mother alone
    I asked for my love and soon they made known
    To my horror that she'd run away!

    She'd packed up her box and eloped in the night
    With him with the greatest of ease
    From two stories high, he had lowered her down
    To the ground on his flying Trapeze!

    CHORUS

    Some months after this I went to a Hall
    Was greatly surprised to see on the wall
    A bill in red letters which did my heart gall,
    That she was appearing with him

    He taught her gymnastics and dressed her in tights
    To help him to live at his ease
    And made her assume a masculine name
    And now she goes on the Trapeze!

    She floats through the air with the greatest of ease
    You'd think her a man on the flying Trapeze
    She does all the work while he takes his ease
    And that's what's become of my love Lyrics from a song in Public Domain

Comments: 1

  • David T. from Northern CaliforniaAnother version which I'm surprised has not been mentioned here, given how both at the same time popular and obscure the song is as far as how often it is sung or mentioned in today's society, and given that any fans of the song would likely be visiting this page, is the version by Spike Jones. It's whacky with the arrangement, but shows a deep understanding of both the original lyrics and arrangement, and the seriousness and the silliness of love, while also paying a serious homage to the original.
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