Let's Go Down to the Fairground

Let's go down to the fairground
Go down side by side
Let's remember what life was like
When life was a wild ride
Let's go down to the fairground
Before it's up and gone
Get your tight blue jeans out
And try to get 'em on

Let's go down to the fairground
Let's go down

We can watch the Carneys spin the cars
And make the young girls cry
They always seem to have bad skin
And one lazy eye
And one on them's on your money
And the others on the floor
They gotta keep their noses clean
And watch out for the law

Let's go down to the fairground
Let's go down

Check out that big black guy
Who works the Ferris wheel
He looks like he's been around
Let's ask him how it feels
Traveling around from town to town
With many a lesson learned
Putting up that giant wheel
Just to watch that damned thing turn

Let's go down to the fairground
Let's go down

See that girl in the tattered dress
Who runs the Octopus ride
She's no more than fourteen
And already one inside
And every tattoo that's tattood
Upon her hide
Tells the story of her life
A life of pain and pride
How her mother used her
And left her all alone
Her stepdaddy abused her
So she ran away from home
She set her sights on Hollywood
But winded up in Maine
Went the wrong direction
On a cargo train
But hey it ain't too bad now
She's movin' on at last
She forgot about tomorrow
And forgets about the past

Let's go down to the fairground
Let's go down

Let's go down to the fairground
Let's go down my dear
Watch those young tow-headed kids
Grin from ear to ear
Maybe the know something
That we forgot about
Our lives became so complex
We blocked the fun right out

Let's go down to the fairground
Let's go down

Well the girl who takes the tickets
For the ghost train around the back
Looks a lot like Courtney Love
You know a real class act
And I'll bet that that's her boyfriend
Who runs the Hoopla stand
Maybe he's a genius that no one understands
Maybe he's an inventor
Clever with his hands
Right now he's just small time
But he's got big plans
Or maybe he's just a shifty guy
That's got a violent streak
Maybe he's the one who murdered
That clown and and got away scott free

Let's go down to the fairground
Let's go down

Let's go down to the fairground
Before it's up and gone
Get your tight blue jeans out
And try to get 'em on
Get 'em on"
- Graham Parker, from Your Country, 2004

The Norwich Rotary Family Carnival is open today and tomorrow from noon until 11 PM and on Monday, Memorial Day, from noon until six. If you don't go, it's your own fault.
- bill kenny