Am Em

[Verse 1]
      Am                            Em         Em
Up on stage he stands bathed in the spotlight.
          Am                  Em               Em
He's been there so many times before.
    Am                      Em                 Em
His heart, it pounds like a drumbeat
       F                     Em
but he always comes back for more.

[Verse 2]
        Am                      Em             Em
And the crowd, they all come to chuckle.
              Am               Em              Em
He makes them laugh until they cry.
              Am                                   Em         Em
But for every action there's an equal and opposite reaction
    F                        Em
and tonight somebody's gonna die.

[Chorus 1]
              Am                        Em
'Cause he's a clown; he's crying on the inside.
       Am                     Em
He's a clown; he's lonely and afraid.
       Am                        Em
He's a clown; he's crying on the inside.
       F                          Em
He's a clown with one foot in the grave.

[Instrumental]
Am Em

[Verse 3]
         Am                      Em            Em
They all stood and cheered as he ended.
         Am                     Em             Em
His fake smile masking his fake face.
           Am                     Em           Em
He takes a bow and he makes a big exit
   F                          Em 
unaware they'll never see him again.

[Verse 4]
        Am                   Em                Em
Back at home the bullets sit waiting;
          Am                        Em         Em
the empty chamber, it calls out his name.
         Am                    Em              Em          
Pull the trigger.  A flash and explosion,
        F                   Em
and the crowd is ending his pain.

[Chorus 2]
       Am                        Em
He's a clown, he's crying on the inside.
       Am                     Em
He's a clown, he's lonely and afraid.
       Am                        Em
He's a clown, he's crying on the inside.
       F                           Em
He's a clown, he's a clown, he's a clown.

[Outro]
N.C.
And you'll never laugh at him again
Am Em Am