The Circus (song) Essentially a synthpop track, the music is accentuated by acoustic guitar and a continuous circus-like accordion. The lyrics touch on social issues, rare for the duo, and centre on the lament of "working men", whose bright futures and job securities are left shattered in the modern world of greedy corporations and technology. The song's distinctive and unusual sound is said to have been inspired by Bell hearing a record being played backwards. Despite its haunting quality and dark lyrical content, "The Circus" became Erasure's third UK Top 10 hit, peaking at number six. The Circus (song) "The Circus" is a
The American Metaphysical Circus of America" was relegated to cut-out bins shortly after its 1968 release. It has become a popular and oft-repeated misconception, with the more recent revival of interest in The United States of America, that "The American Metaphysical Circus" was not as popular or a commercial success, whereas information discussed by Byrd surrounding the Napster case and the experience of American record enthusiasts confirms exactly the opposite. Prior to its re-release, mint vinyl copies of "The American Metaphysical Circus" were sold by collectors for prices sometimes in excess of $100US, and both the original 1969 issue and 1996 CD still command