Medicine Show

There’s a trailer park
On the edge of the swamp
The air is cold
And the bedclothes damp

There’s not much chance
Of cutting loose
When you’re tired and tied
To your excuse

How can you dream
When you cannot sleep
The walls are thin
And your clothes are cheap

And you better get some rest
You’ve got two dead-end jobs to keep

Throw away your dreams my dear
The world we knew has disappeared
Kiss the kids before they go
Send them off to join a travelling show
Send them to the old-time medicine show

If your baby cries tonight
Will you make it sleep outside
You learn to lie before he reads
Family don’t bring guarantees

Out here we dream of better things
We let our wildest dreams have wings
When you don’t have far to fall
Dreams are better than damn all

Throw away your dreams my dear
The world we knew has disappeared
Kiss the kids before they go
Send them off to join a travelling show
Send them to the medicine show

It’s getting dark
We better get down on our knees

There’s a trailer park
On the edge of the swamp
The air is cold
And the bedclothes damp

How can you dream
When you cannot sleep
The walls are thin
And your clothes are cheap

Throw away your dreams my dear
The world we knew has disappeared
Kiss the kids before they go
Send them off to join a travelling show
Send them to the old-time medicine show