I can still remember
the coat I wore that day
yellow as a plastic moon
with a weave as thick as chains

walkin' past the sideshow tents
drunker than we knew
could never fill my brother's shoes
got them Fairground Blues
got them Fairground Blues

was gone so long, I didn't know
if my brother'd still be there
when I got back to the
burlesque show
four cops were standin' on the stairs

brother's hands were stuck in irons
sweat had soaked his hair
said "you missed the fun in there
missed all the fun in there
you missed the fun in there"

brother's face was red and wild
cop said: "do you know this boy?
Choked a man for just his smile
this one's a killer not a boy."

My brother spit and laughed
and said: "I shoulda' stuck with you
big brother shoulda' stuck with you."

got them Fairground Blues X4