I was a kid when this song first came out. I remember learning to play it on the piano. It evoked so much emotion and passion from me that I would literally make myself cry as I played it. Shy and introverted, but with passion and creativity to paint the world a better place, my quiet mind imagined all sorts of scenarios and basked in deep emotions. I grew up with a very stoic Irish mother, who let only a single tear fall as she broke the news to my eight year old self the morning my father passed. She was strong, and held herself together with dignity after his death. As I got older and focused more on my schooling and career, my passionate, creative, feeling side took a back seat to my Type A personality. Over the past few years, I’ve been trying to reconnect with my passions and creativity. I recently rediscovered this song and the words of this song became my lifeblood. Baby is an awful lot like me…
Baby cried the day the circus came to town
’cause she didn’t want parades just passin’ by her.
So she painted on a smile and took up with some clown,
While she danced without a net upon the wire.
I know a lot about her, cause you see,
Baby is an awful lot like me.
Don’t cry out loud.
Just keep it inside, and learn how to hide your feelings.
Fly high and proud,
And if you should fall, remember you almost had it all.
Baby saw that when they pulled that big top down,
They left behind her dreams among the litter.
The different kind of love she thought she’d found,
There was nothing left but sawdust and some glitter.
But baby can’t be broken ’cause you see,
She had the finest teacher — that was me.
I told her,
Don’t cry out loud.
Just keep it inside and learn how to hide your feelings.
Fly high and proud,
And if you should fall, remember you almost had it all.
Don’t cry out loud.
Just keep it inside and learn how to hide your feelings.
Fly high and proud,
And if you should fall, remember you almost had it all.
Lyrics by Peter Allen, Carole Bayer Sager
Copyright © Woolnough Music Inc., Irving Music Inc., Begonia Melodies Inc.
Journey-For-Life 