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