October 12th is hotter than Hell in Texas
I guess Elephants just go bad this time of year
And Clara James had no idea what hit her
Well we coulda done something if we had our shotguns here

But corsicana Texas is town without no shade
And we never shoulda let that freak-show pass through here

You got to…send a telegram off to P.T. Barnum
‘Cause somebody’s gonna take the blame and it might be you
Send a telegram off to P.T. Barnum
‘Cause the old man always knows what to do

I swear to God I never seen nothin’ like it’
That fender folded up like a valentine
And the trainers broke their necks but they couldn’t do nothin’
That Elephant’s gonna be himself just one time

And the day will fall upon you and the autumn will start to burn
You can wash your hands but this stain is worse than wine

You got to…send a telegram off to P.T. Barnum
‘Cause somebody’s gonna take the blame and it might be you
Send a telegram off to P.T. Barnum
‘Cause the old man always knows what to do

Well they marched Black Diamond throught the streets of Corsicana
But they could not chain that ghost up to the trees
He shook his head and he stumbled after the first shots
It was forty-nine before the Elephant fell to his knees

But there’s a funeral born in the Circus like a stone baked in the bread
Even the bullets wilted in shame like a nest of bees

You got to…send a telegram off to P.T. Barnum
‘Cause somebody’s gonna take the blame and it might be you
Send a telegram off to P.T. Barnum
‘Cause the old man always knows what to do