Medicine Show

E    B    C#m     B    G#   A

[Verse 1]
           E                       
It was the first day of summer and 
     B         C#m
the word came down
             B                     
And then the crowd started 
         G#          A
gathering on the edge of the town
            E                    
To hear the band start kicking on 
     B        C#m
the count of four
             B                     
And then the stranger with a 
       G#      A
promise of a miracle cure
         E                     
He stood slender like a switch, 
       B         C#m
cane, jet-black hair
           B                       
And stared deep into the frailty of
 G#       A
 everyone there
        E                          
Until a smile came wide across his 
B        C#m
face and so
           B                       
Began the smoke and the mirrors of 
    G#       A
the medicine show.

[Instrumental] (x2)
E    B    C#m      B    G#   A

[Verse 2]
            E                      
He pulled a bottle from his pocket,
         B              C#m
 said "I bring you good news
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          B                      
"I got an end to all your worries 
          G#            A
and your hurt and them blues
            E                      
So if your hair started thinning 
       B          C#m
and your joints get bad
           B                     
Yeah it'll take away the pain you 
       G#            A
never knew that you had.
            E                   
Yeah it'll make you good-looking 
                B    C#m
it'll make you feel thin
    B                              
And cures every one of the seven of
     G#        A
 the deadliest sins"
             E                   
And then the money started flying 
         B       C#m
and the crowd below
           B                       
It was the smoke and the mirrors of
     G#        A
 the medicine show

[Chorus]
            E                      
It was the smoke and the mirrors of
      B       C#m
 the medicine show
           B                       
It was the smoke and the mirrors of
     G#        A
 the medicine show

[Verse 3]
        E                          
Well it takes a little businessman 
   B        C#m
it ain't no crime
         B                      
To fool enough of the people for 
  G#             A
enough of their time
              E                  
And it's your own damn problem if 
        B          C#m
you're paying out for
         B                    G#  
A little back-ditch water and 
        A
little else more
             E                     
And when the money's being counted 
        B           C#m
and the stage comes down
          B                        
We're out looking for the suckers 
   G#          A
of another dumb town
           E                       
And sing a prayer for every 
      B         C#m
innocent who can't say no
        B                          
To the smoke and the mirrors of the
 G#          A
 medicine show

[Chorus]
            E                      
It was the smoke and the mirrors of
      B       C#m
 the medicine show
       B                           
I said "hey, good-looking, now come
 G#        A
 on, let's go"
            E                      
It was the smoke and the mirrors of
      B       C#m
 the medicine show