I had a taste of bitter life At sweet sixteen I was growing up too fast If you know what I mean Met an older man Who taught me his own way to live And all I had to do to keep him Was to give and give
CHORUS: The carousel man Kept me going around and round Carousel man always know That I'd stay around The carousel man Wouldn't let me off his merry-go-round
I followed him around in traveling shows Along the main county lines Watching him drinking his mind away Not ever knowing my name at time Each night when the show closed down He used to tell me of his dreams He was wearing new French suits While I mended my torn jeans
Chorus
Then one night in Santa Fe The horses stop going around There he was my poor rich man Lying on the Mexico ground All the sad music of his life Is still spinning in my mind The carousel starts up again And I found my place in life
