At Barnum's Show

DESCRIPTION: Concerning the odd events and strange animal behaviors seen at Barnum's circus. Chorus: "If you want to have some fun, I'll tell you where to go, Go see the lion stuffed with straw At P. T. Barnum's show."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1873 (Billy West Songster)
KEYWORDS: animal humorous
FOUND IN: US(MW,So)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Randolph 450, "At Barnum's Show" (1 text)
Spaeth-ReadEmAndWeep, pp. 67-68, "P. T. Barnum's Show" (1 text)
ADDITIONAL: Billy West's "Banjo Solo's" Songster, Robert M. DeWitt, 1873 (digitized version at the Library of Congress), p. 18, "A Viit to Barnum's" (1 text)

Roud #7600
NOTES [55 words]: Many of the lyrics to this song are the sort of thing you would expect to find in "Animal Fair," but there are enough references to Barnum that the piece must be considered, at the very least, a rewrite. Possibly the common element is that Billy West sang both of them; thanks to Michael Taft for pointing out that reference. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.8
File: R450

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography

The Ballad Index Copyright 2024 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.