[Verse 1] He rolled in on castor wheels Down Market past the bait shop sign Chrome face catching fish-scale sun And a grin that split the power line Kids froze by the cotton candy cart Old men quit their dice and smoke He bowed to the busted stop sign Then he clicked like a joke In his sleeve was a red silk rose In his pocket, a deck of knives He waved to me like we were friends Like he knew my whole damn life [Pre-Chorus] And every mirror in the block Went bent when he walked by He said, “Kid, if you want the truth You gotta laugh while you lie” [Chorus] Chrome clown, chrome clown Spin that face around Chrome clown, chrome clown Make the whole town bow (Chrome clown) He’ll steal your frown Then vanish in the sound [Verse 2] At the boardwalk, under the tarp He sold secrets for a dime A map drawn on a napkin edge And a name he’d lost in time He pulled a lemon from my ear Pulled a spider from my sleeve Said, “Nothing here is what it seems Not even what you leave” Then he showed me his little red heart Under plates and polished paint It was ticking like a broken watch It was brave and it was faint [Pre-Chorus] And every mirror in the block Went bent when he walked by He said, “Kid, if you want the truth You gotta laugh while you lie” [Chorus] Chrome clown, chrome clown Spin that face around Chrome clown, chrome clown Make the whole town bow (Chrome clown) He’ll steal your frown Then vanish in the sound [Bridge] That night the fairground lost its spark The ferris wheel stood still He climbed the gate, raised both his hands Like he knew a coming chill Then the sky cracked open wide And rain hit hard as coins He held his grin against the storm Like a blade between his joints [Final Chorus] Chrome clown, chrome clown Spin that face around Chrome clown, chrome clown Make the whole town bow (Chrome clown) He’ll steal your frown Then vanish in the sound Chrome clown, chrome clown Still I hear that vow Chrome clown, chrome clown Somewhere, anyhow (Chrome clown) He wore the crown And burned the whole town down
