Oh, (G)once I was hap py, but (C)now I’m for (Am)lorn,
(D7)like an old coat that is (G)tat tered and torn.
Wher Left in this wide world to (C)fret and to (Am)mourn, be o (D7)trayed by a maid in her (G)teens.
Oh, the (Em)girl that I loved, she was hand some be low, and I tried all I knew her to (B)please,
but (Em)I could not please her one quar ter so well as the (A7)man on the fly ing tra peze.
(D7)Oh!
He’d (G)fly through the air with the (C)great est of (Am)ease, a (D7)dar ing young man on the (G)fly ing tra peze.
His move ments were grace ful, all (C)girls he could (Am)please, and (D7)my love he pur loined a (G)way.
Now, the (G)young man by name was Se (C)ñor Bo ni (Am)Slang,
(D7)tall, big and hand some, as (G)well made as Chang.
Wher e’er he ap peared how the (C)hall loud ly (Am)rang with o (D7)va tions from all peo ple (G)there.
He’d the (Em)smile from the bar on the peo ple be low, and I one night he smiled on my (B)love.
She (Em)winked back at him and she shout ed, “Bra vo!” as he (A7)hung by his nose from a bove.
(D7)Oh!
She (G)floats through the air with the (C)great est of (Am)ease; you’d (D7)think her a man on the (G)fly ing tra peze.
She does all the work ful, while (C)he takes his (Am)ease, and (D7)that’s what’s be came of my (G)love.
Her the
This page shows “The Man On The Flying Trapeze” by George Leybourne in our color-coded kid songbook view — every note is colored by pitch (red C, orange D, yellow E, green F, blue G, purple A, pink B) and the lyrics sit directly under each note, so children can sing along while they play. The song is in the key of G at 144 BPM, a comfortable easy-level arrangement perfect for first-time learners.