See the old man in the bar
There's none the wiser
Drinking up the jar
Of the grape or of the grain
He's drinking up the jar
With conversation
He says "living is the loving
And loving is the living of life"

There's a friend of a friend of mine
As a friend who greets me
You know he's said hello
While going to the fair
Listen, don't you know
He'd make you sorry
But a friendly face is given
As helping with the living of life

[Chorus]
Laugh and the world laughs with you
Cry and you cry alone
Weep and there's none will heed you
Their trouble's enough of their own
Sing and the hills will answer
Sigh and it's lost in the air
Old Mother Earth must borrow some mirth
But they don't want no troubles or no woe
The clown is loved by all
He's a masquerader
In a circus he can fall
And we all see the joke
Beneath a mask so gay
There's a hidden sorrow
But wait until tomorrow and what he gave he'll borrow from you

The jester in the court
Is the Queen's old favourite
But tomorrow she might change
And he might lose his head
The joker of the pack
Can smile with laughter
But then a little after she might find someone dafter than your man

[Chorus]
Laugh and the world laughs with you
Cry and you cry alone
Weep and there's none will heed you
Their trouble's enough of their own
Sing and the hills will answer
Sigh and it's lost in the air
Old Mother Earth must borrow some mirth
But they don't want no troubles or no woe