Joker

Everyone loves a joke, a little twisted laughter
As long as I keep smiling, they don't care what happens after
My painted grin is a work of art, flawless in its show
But all they see are colors, not the cracks they don’t know

I'm the fool with a broken deck, shuffling my fate
They love to see me stumble, I guess falling's my trait
I wear my mask like a crown, to hide the hollow inside
Laugh it up, I'm a riot, till the punchline makes me cry

[Powerful but haunting - ethereal backing vocals]
(Cause I'm the joker, a smile for every tear)
(Lights and laughter, cover the fear)
(I'm dancing in circles, can't break free)
(Yeah, there’s always a joker, and today it's me)

You clap for my misfortune, cheer when I slip
I turn my stumbles into dances, yeah, that's my trick
A thousand empty stares, a room full of vacant eyes
They want me to amuse them, but they never realize

I've got jokes for days, but I'm laughing last
Chasing my shadow till I collapse
Twisted in my painted shoes, but that’s all they wanna see
They pay for my performance, they don’t care what’s underneath

(Cause I'm the joker, a smile for every tear)
(Lights and laughter, cover the fear)
(I'm dancing in circles, can't break free)
(Yeah, there’s always a joker, and today it's me)

So I take a bow with my crooked stance
Everyone cheers, they call it romance
I'm the poet of pain, a prince of jest
But tonight's laugh sounds hollow at best

Underneath my mask, there’s nothing left to see
A void that’s echoing, bouncing my plea
I slip on the banana peel, fall back in line
They think it's comedy, but it’s tragedy in disguise

I make the jokes, but I'm the punchline's slave
Dancing on this tightrope till I'm lost in the haze
The world’s a circus, and I'm the showpiece
Round and round till it’s just a sad repeat

(Cause I'm the joker, with tears beneath the smile)
(I sell my sadness, as they cheer for a while)
(Yeah, I'm dancing in circles, can’t you see?)
(There’s always a joker, and it’s always me)

The joke's on you for thinking it's just pretend
The joke's on me for hoping it ever ends
Fate deals the cards, but I play my part
A joker’s a joker till he shuffles his heart

But hey, as long as you’re laughing, that’s all that matters to me
I’ll keep on grinning, I’ll keep on being, the lonely jester you see