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Dancing Bear Lyrics by The Mamas & The Papas

The Mamas & The Papas : Complete Anthology

1966

I wouldn't wanna be a chimney sweep
All black from head to foot
From climbing in them chimneys
And cleaning out that soot

With a broom and ladder and pail
The darkened walls I scale
And far, and high
I see a patch of sky

I'd rather be the gypsy
(I'd rather be the gypsy)
Who's camped at the edge of town
(Camped at the edge of town)
The one who has the dancing bear
(Dancing bear)
That follows him around

And he lifts his big foot up
He puts his big foot down
Then bows, then twirls
And dances 'round and 'round

I found I was a cabin boy
Last night as I did dream
Bound aboard a magic ship
For a land I'd never seen

And the moon, she filled our sails
And the stars, they steered our course
And on our bow
There was a golden horse

The queen eats fruit and candy
The bishop, nuts and cheese
And when I am a grown man
I'll taste just what I please

The honey from the bee
The shellfish from the sea
The earth, the wind, a girl
Someone to share these things with me

I wouldn't wanna be a chimney sweep
(I'd rather be a gypsy)
All black from head to foot
(Camped at the edge of town)
From climbing in them chimneys
(One who has a dancing bear)
And cleaning out that soot
(Who follows him around)
I'd rather be the gypsy
(Wouldn't wanna be a chimney sweep)
Who's camped at the edge of town
(All black from head to foot)
The one who has the dancing bear
(Climbing in them chimneys)
That follows him around
(Cleaning out that soot)

About “Dancing Bear” by The Mamas & The Papas

Read the complete lyrics to "Dancing Bear" by The Mamas & The Papas from the album "The Mamas & The Papas : Complete Anthology" in 1966. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under In English, Sunshine Pop, Psychedelic Rock.

"Dancing Bear" is performed by The Mamas & The Papas. from the album "The Mamas & The Papas : Complete Anthology" in 1966 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Dancing Bear", explore more songs by The Mamas & The Papas using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Dancing Bear" is credited to The Mamas & The Papas. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Dancing Bear" appears on "The Mamas & The Papas : Complete Anthology" in 1966.

Visit the The Mamas & The Papas artist page at /artist/the-mamas-and-the-papas for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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