From: [email protected] (Liam McCarthy)
Subject: Re: REPOST: Circus Left Town
In fact I was the one who posted the original version of The Circus Left Town.
I only discovered my mistake when it was noted in the transcription below that
I had mixed up the G#7 and the F#7 chords. I have corrected the mistake in
The attached text. Apologies for the error. Enjoy the song.
Somebody posted this on one of the guitar newsgroups, I think. I’ve
Reformatted it a little bit and deleted the header (so much for giving
Credit where credit is due 🙁 ), but this is the important stuff.
———————
THE CIRCUS LEFT TOWN by Eric Clapton
(Amaj7 = x06650, Amaj7 [2] = x02120, C#m7 = x46454, Cdim = x3424x
Has G#7 = 464544)
[Amaj7] Little man with his [B/A] eyes on fire [Cdim]
And his smile so [C#m7] bright [B7]
[Amaj7] In his hands are the [B/A] toys you gave [Cdim]
That fill his heart with de[C#m7]light [B7]
[Amaj7] In a ring stands a [B/A] circus clown [Cdim]
Holding up a [C#m7] light [B7]
[Amaj7] What you see and [B/A] what you hear [Cdim]
Will last you the rest of your [C#m7] life [B7]
[Amaj7[2]] It’s sad, so sad [B7]
[Cdim] There aint no easy way [C#m7] round [B7]
[Amaj7[2]] It’s sad, so sad [G#7]
[Bmin7] All your friends gather [Amaj7] round
‘Cause the [Dmaj7] circus left town [Amaj7]
Little man with his heart so pure
And his love so fine
Stick with me and I’ll ride with you
Till the end of the line
Hold my hand and I’ll walk with you
Through the darkest night
When I smile I’ll be thinking of you
And everything will be alright
The picking technique is 4 bar repeating cycle which for the most part
Concentrates on the middle 4 strings, except when playing G#7. Each
Vertical line represents one bar, each bar has 2 beats which are clearly
Marked by the thumb and middle finger. The index finger only appears on
Half beats.
Key: t = thumb
I = index finger
M = middle finger
E |—-|—-|—-|—-|
B |—m-|—m-|—m-|—m-|
G |—-|-i—|—i|-i—| Use this configuration for all chords except.
D |—t-|—t-|—t-|—t-| the G#7 chord.
A |t—|t—|t—|t—|
E |—-|—-|—-|—-|