Silence drowns the laughter And the last joke dies away A pain-contorted smile Is just a grimace in my face Oh - no one will realize Oh - the fear behind these eyes
Dance around cutting capers and jokes Play the fool for another day From the first time when their laughter arose I was a victim on a royal stage
Life's paradox I smile when I cry Out of vogue they'll kill me goodbye Behind a mask I'm hiding my sorrow Will I cheer, or die tomorrow
[Bridge:] I struggle to juggle All my pain I receive from you Just a bit of approval - 'cause a jester's not only a fool
[Chorus:] And the jester's crying - a lake of tears Sorrow's washing delight away And the jester's trying - to hide his fears Behind the fake of a smile (It's just a pathetic try)
And if my antics starting to pall There will be no chance at all Their last amusement is to end my life I shall welcome the hangman's knife No one knows quite what it seems Laughter turns to desperate screams
And the jester, and the jester, and the jester's trying And the jester, and the jester, can't stop his crying