Wild Billy's Circus Story (Live at the Ahmanson Theater, Los Angeles, 1973) 

How am I only discovering this in 2023?! Thank you for posting! I can't believe this classic footage and in such high quality.

This is Bruce Springsteen before he became a superstar, back in the early 1970's. He wasn't trying to be epicly important, just telling stories about the experiences of simple humans. This one is about a little boy being charmed by the circus. Who can't relate?

“And the elephants dance real funky, and the band plays like a jungle fire”. Is there any question he’s the greatest lyricist ever?

This song is why I love Bruce and always will. He makes my soul happy. He makes the day brighter. His stories take me away, his music gives me joy. Thanks for finding this and posting it

I'm sure I've heard this song more than 100 times, but it's so unusual and his ability to evoke a sense of place is so strong that I'm always left with a sense of anticipation for what the next line will be!

A 23 year old young man on his way to becoming a Rock Legend! Love it too much🎸🎶

I became a Springsteen fan in 1984 for this song. I am 50 and still this is my favourite....Greetings from Hungary!

One of my favorite songs ever. The line "Jesus send some good women to save all your clowns" still makes me laugh after hearing it about a million times.

I love getting to see these early songs. TY!!! They make me happy! Just getting to see the unpolishedness, which feels authentic and beautiful.

One of my all time favorite songs by Bruce, especially since I left home in 1970 to join the big top 🎪I hold this song close to my heart. Nice to hear a version just a bit different than the one on the album. Loving the release of the older videos, keep it up.

Not the most well known Bruce song but one that fills me with imagery like no other

he sure was a great one to tell a story through his music.

I'm 54 ,been into Bruce since I was about 14 I love him ,but if I'm honest nothing beats early Bruce Nebraska was the last album I truly loved ,with a few from born in the USA

I saw the Madison Square Garden show he mentions introducing this - in June, opening for Chicago. I don't recall any 25 cent dedications, and as a 14-year-old Chicago fan, did not appreciate his performance as much as I later would.

They didn't call it the 70's for nothing! A warm summer night sitting on the hood of my Chevell listening to this on the tape deck with a cold one and just being quite... that was all we needed back then

He is the greatest!!! Greetings from Germany.

Love the lyrics.❤❤

An amazing trio of songs. MORE!!!

Bruce is the greatest! Ever!!

A brilliant song and a sign of the skill of Bruce. Let us hope there are many more years of enjoying "The Boss" Happy Birthday Bruce, 74 today. Love you lots.

This is genuine genius. Bruce, I love you. I love you. I love you.

ONE OF HIS BEST!

Thx Bruce !

Encore une surprise, un super morceau, merci BRUCE !!!!!

love this thank you Bruce

The best story teller.❤

Bom dia. Belíssima música, Grande Bruce. 😍😍😍

Damn, blast from the past, man...brilliant songwriting 🎪 🎪 🎪

Listen to this and then his output since 2003. No comparison.

So Wunderschön gesungen 💖💖

Beautiful

Heard this live @ Liberty Hall in 1975..was hooked ..

Estas actuaciones son las que todavía me recuerdan porqué amo a este tío y a esta super banda de rock. Larga vida al Boss y la E street banda!!!

This is really cool stuff! The early years in great quality... Thanks for this one

My favorite Bruce song....magic!

One of my favorites. For a Taiwanese, I don't care what the lyrics say, just melody.

Excellent. Merci Bruce !

Linndoooooo 💓 perfeito e único 💎🎸🎤💘 AMOOOOOO 💘 Bruce Springsteen

Love this...

Such a beautiful song!❤️

El más grande!! No se puede ser más grande que Bruce.

One of my favourite Bruce songs of all time! Love this version especially.

Te amo tanto Bruce💕💕💕💕. Até o infinito e além! !!!❤❤❤

Love it.

From Greetings from Asbury Park until today,Springsteens craftmanship and truth in his songs is one of the kind.Together with the E Street Band or even alone,he delivering the goods,night after night,and year after year.Thank you Boss🙏Wild Billy...phantastic,the tuba,and Dannys Akkordeon....wondrful. ..I think Gary played the Tuba...man awesome( New Orkeans Sound🎺...🌞)

Was für ein klasse Song 🎼 ⭐ 🙋‍♀️👋💋... The Boss ❤️ deine Stimme berührt mich gerade sehr 💗...

Grandissimo BRUCE.

This is the BRUCE I love!

Woahhhhh the Lyrics !!!!!!!!!!! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💙

Thanx Boss !

This fine looking Jersey Finest 😍😍!

Wonderful. Hope you release complete show.

Get the whole show on here!

Semplicemente magnifico

WAITING.. PATIENCE.. LOVE U❤️🔥🤘

Amazing song

Ineguagliabile, grande BOSS, 😍😍😍😍😍

Eccolo!! Un giovanissimo Bruce dolcissimo!!!😅😅😘😘😍😍😍😍💘🎅🎅

This is masterful songwriting. The words are sparse, the melody simple, but it evokes so much. My favourite song from one of my top albums from the Boss.

I Love Bruce! 😍😘

Bruce Forever ❤

God save the human cannonball- the story of my life

Olha p essa boca...meu Deus 💘🤴🎸🎤

Show 👏👏👏🇧🇷🇧🇷💜💕 💕 👍👍😍😍 parabénssssssss 💙💙❤️❤️

Ma quanto era giovane il nostro baby Bruce?? Tenerissimo!! Dolcissimo!!!😀😀😅😍😍😍😍😘😘😘🎸💎🎶🌟💫♥️💋

Love being at this circus as described by Bruce.. Hahaaa Love early Bruce videos! A prodigy 🌟 🏆 🏅

як же ж я за тобою скучила

All aboard Nebraska's our next stop.....

Bruce is God

❤💛💙👏✌LOVE U BRUCE BOSS❤💙💛🎶🎸U ARE BELLE😘

Boss time

Fantastica caro amico good night and thank you for the 🙋🌹💖

so lovley

Tu voz cierro los ojos y ya no estoy aqui

I was there.

The Boss! ❤x

Nanci Te amo para sempre será A mais bela recordação 😄

El jefe

......Nebraska´s our next stop.

👏👏👏👏

he was telegraphing his future nebraska album with that last line folks.

OH God save the Human Cannonball.

The kid has potential!

50 years of Rosalita can’t be wrong!!

The machinist climbs his Ferris wheel like a brave And the fire-eater's lyin' in a pool of sweat, victim of the heat wave Behind the tent, the hired hand tightens his legs on the sword swallower's blade Circus town's on the shortwave Well, the runway lies ahead like a great false dawn Oh, fat lady, big mama, Missy Bimbo sits in her chair and yawns And the man-beast lies in his cage sniffin' popcorn And the midget licks his fingers and suffers Missy Bimbo's scorn Circus town's been born Oh, and a press roll drummer go, ballerina to-and-fro Cartwheelin' up on that tightrope With a cannon blast, lightnin' flash, movin' fast through the tent, Mars-bent He's gonna miss his fall, oh, God save the human cannonball And the flyin' Zambinis watch Margarita do her neck twist And the ringmaster gets the crowd to count along, ninety-five, ninety-six, ninety-seven A ragged suitcase in his hand, he steals silently away from the circus grounds And the highway's haunted by the carnival sounds They dance like a great greasepaint ghost on the wind A man in baggy pants, a lonely face, a crazy grin Runnin' home to some small Ohio town Jesus, send some good women to save all your clowns And circus boy dances like a monkey on barbed wire And the barker romances with a junkie, she's got a flat tire And now the elephants dance real funky and the band plays like a jungle fire Circus town's on the live wire And the strong man Samson lifts the midget, little Tiny Tim, way up on his shoulders, way up And carries him on down the midway, past the kids, past the sailors, to his dimly lit trailer And the Ferris wheel turns and turns like it ain't ever gonna stop And the circus boss leans over and whispers into the little boy's ear Hey, son, you want to try the big top? All aboard, Nebraska's our next stop

He is usually accompanied on tuba during this song by his base player.

Wasn't there, was 3. Here now though.

👏👏👏👏👏💞💞💞

💕💖👏👏

🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

24 years old

You have lovely hair

He should make this song into a film. Use Zoope circus for content.

Aindanaotinhaouvidoessamusicaebonitagosteiobrigadobrucepormeenviarbomfinaldedomingopravoce

I love this man. Regardless his political late flamboyantcy

Olá razão do meu sorriso bom dia amor! Linda música ☆querido!...te amo hoje eu te amo mais do que ontem ♥ namorado!

First ;)

My question is who was filming this in 1973?

Was that Garry Tallent the one playing the tube??

What does “Mars bent” mean?