About The Song
“The Show Must Go On” is a song written by Leo Sayer and David Courtney, originally recorded by Sayer in 1973 on his album Show Must Go On. Three Dog Night covered the song, releasing it on March 11, 1974, as the lead single from their ninth studio album Hard Labor on Dunhill Records. The song reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 10 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart, marking another hit in the band’s late 1970s success run. It followed their earlier No. 1 hits like “Joy to the World.”
The recording took place in Los Angeles, produced by Richard Podolor, with a rock arrangement featuring Chuck Negron on lead vocals and the band’s signature harmonies. The session included musicians like Jimmy Greenspoon on keyboards and Michael Allsup on guitar, with a driving rhythm section adding to the song’s energetic tone. The track runs 3:47 on the album, with the single version slightly edited for radio play. Hard Labor, released in April 1974, peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard 200, reflecting a slight decline from their earlier chart dominance.
The lyrics depict a performer’s resilience despite personal struggles, with lines like “Baby, although I chose this lonely life / It seems it’s strangling me now.” Sayer wrote the song from the perspective of a circus performer, but Three Dog Night infused it with a broader, rock-driven narrative of perseverance. Sayer noted in a 1974 interview, “They took my circus tale and turned it into a rock anthem about survival,” highlighting the band’s reinterpretation for a wider audience.
The music video, though not officially released in 1974, features live performance footage from that era, later included in compilations like Celebrate: The Three Dog Night Story, 1965–1975. Three Dog Night, formed in 1967 by vocalists Chuck Negron, Cory Wells, and Danny Hutton, was known for covering songs by diverse writers, and this track showcased their ability to adapt theatrical themes into a rock context. The song was a key part of their 1974-1975 tour setlist.
The track was released in multiple formats, including 7-inch vinyl, with B-sides like “Sure As I’m Sittin’ Here.” It was performed live with a 14-piece band during the mid-1970s tours and appeared on various compilations, including The Best of Three Dog Night (1982). The production involved minimal overdubs, with the band aiming to capture a raw, live energy, aligning with the song’s theme of enduring performance pressure.
Video
Lyric
Baby, although I chose this lonely life
It seems it’s strangling me now
All the wild men, big cigars, big mouths, big trouble
Less talk, less mistakes, make up for the breaksThe show must go on
The show must go on
I’ll face it with a grin
I’m never giving in
On with the showI’ll top the bill, I’ll earn the kill
I have to find the will to carry on
With the showEvery night beneath the lights
I’ll give you all I’ve got, I’ll take my bow
The show must go onBaby, I was born to walk these streets alone
And wish that I could hide the pain
All the wild men, big cigars, big mouths, big trouble
Restless for a fight, still spoiling for a killThe show must go on
The show must go on
I’ll face it with a grin
I’m never giving in
On with the showI’ll top the bill, I’ll earn the kill
I have to find the will to carry on
With the showEvery night beneath the lights
I’ll give you all I’ve got, I’ll take my bow
The show must go onOh, the show must go on
Oh, inside my heart is breaking
My makeup may be flaking
But my smile still stays on