The Lion Has Got No Teeth

Jacob, my boy

Please don't look so annoyed

It's a trick

Here's a bucket if you need to be sick

You see, nothin' 'round here's

Ever quite what it appears

If it was, then I wouldn't have a business

Jacob, you seem like a bright young lad

Yes it's true, you've been duped

But you shouldn't feel bad

You're in good company

It's not easy to see

The illusions that make up the circus

You see, the people, they come to the circus

To see miracles performed

To see heaven and hell on earth

And so to that purpose

We give 'em angels and demons

And everything in between 'em

Oh, but we

We are made of the same stuff as they

How can we give 'em what they came for?

(Lies, lies, lies)

And for the people who can pay more

(Lies, lies, lies)

You could say that it's amoral

But our pride's in our lies, lies, lies, lies

Lies, lies, lies, lies

No, nothing is quite what it seems

Lies, lies, lies, lies

And the lion has got no teeth

It's all make believe, sonny

Just like we're gonna make believe

That you are a doctor of veterinary science

What they see, sense and smell

It's impossible to tell

Between the bullshit and baloney

(Lies, lies, lies)

The fake, the shake, the phony

(Lies, lies, lies)

The authentic testimony

Oh, those are sewn to our lies, lies, lies, lies

Lies, lies, lies, lies

No, nothing is quite what it seems

Lies, lies, lies, lies

And the lion has got no teeth

It's not that I'm not impressed

By this lesson in deception

But the acts I like the best

Don't depend on misdirection

Where is the lie

When they're flying overhead?

When they're dancing on a thread

When she's riding

You can't live off lies -

I think you would be surprised

I mean, have you seen our hippopotamus?

(The lion has got no teeth)

All the rubes think that she's marvelous

(The lion has got no teeth)

Been a month now since she died

Swimming in a tank of formaldehyde

Have you seen our Siamese twins?

(The lion has got no teeth)

Mary Lou and Mary Lin

(The lion has got no teeth)

Would the rubes be so elated

If they knew they're not related?

Oh, no, you gotta give 'em

(Lies, lies, lies, lies)

(Lies, lies, lies, lies)

And have you met our great ringmaster? (Lies, lies, lies, lies)

(Lies, lies, lies, lies)

Quite as threatening as he's dapper (lies, lies, lies, lies)

(Lies, lies, lies, lies)

Holds the ring inside his palm

Wields the whip to drive it on

Even he is not absolved

Of the carnival's cardinal fraud

At the end of the day

When the crowds have gone away

I'm just one among the many fighting

To feed my growing family

Oh, but we were made

Of the same stuff as they

How do we keep 'em on the payroll?

(Lies, lies, lies)

How do we put food on the table?

(Lies, lies, lies)

Nothin' sweetens the taste of bad meat

Like a chaser of lies, lies, lies, lies

You may say that it's amoral

But our pride's in our lies, lies, lies, lies

As our lies, yes our lies

Oh, our lies

Yes, our lies are our pride

And our pride's in our lies

And the lions in our pride have got no teeth