[Intro - short, spoken, close, reversed whispers, detuned music box, faint shoegaze shimmer] Slow down, darling You know the walk Don't say a word Let the hips talk [Verse 1 - slow-grind garage, glowing shoegaze guitars bloom underneath, sultry, behind the beat] You lead me like a secret I follow like a sin Tell me, is it love Or just the trouble I'm in? [Pre-Chorus - swing creeps in, walking bass, heel clicks, shoegaze haze rising, breathy] Heel... toe... Take it slow Ache a little Let it show Tip... turn... Hold me close Everybody knows the Joker Walk [Chorus - full swing, ride cymbal, muted trumpet answers, sultry, purred, belted only on "Do the Joker Walk"] Heel, toe, drag it slow Tip your hat and down you go One step back, two steps more Joker Walk across the floor Step real light Stand real tall Hear that brass against the wall When it stops [hard stop - silence, one detuned music-box note] You stop [swing slams back in, shoegaze swell] When it walks, you walk Do the Joker Walk [Verse 2 - garage grind returns, shoegaze glow, sly, dripping, close to the mic] You say it's just a dance But your eyes say more Swear I'm done, then I'm back Like I've been here before [Chorus - full swing, more swagger, ad-libs, belted only on "Do the Joker Walk"] Heel, toe, drag it slow Tip your hat and down you go One step back, two steps more Joker Walk across the floor Step real light Stand real tall Hear that brass against the wall When it stops [hard stop - silence, one detuned music-box note] You stop [swing slams back in, shoegaze swell] When it walks, you walk Do the Joker Walk [Dance Break - swing, walking upright bass, heel clicks, hypnotic shoegaze wash, whispers echo backwards] Three steps forward. One step back. Closer. Turn. Wait. ... Don't turn around. [haze flutters away on butterfly wings - garage drops hard] That's it. [Rap - dry, hard 2-step garage, chopper-fast 16ths, vocoder female, no pauses, ghostly doubles] Tell me why I crave the thing that leaves me weak every grin you throw me is a game of hide and seek I been crying in the quiet I been smiling in the light I been dancing with the ache 'cause the ache is all that's right Heat in my veins and a chill in my soul you say take it slow but I'm losing control Is it love is it lust is it trouble I'm in is it you on my lips or the devil in my skin Wrist to the waist and the breath to the neck I'm a masterpiece baby I'm a beautiful wreck Who's the joker who's the joke who's the fire who's the smoke who's the one who swore forever who's the one whose promise broke [swing snaps back, haze floods in] When you stop I stop when you walk I walk and when the music dies I'm still doing the Joker Walk [Build - short, hypnotic shoegaze swell, heartbeat kick, spoken, close] Stand up straight. There's one more call. [Final Chorus - full swing routine, shoegaze wall of sound beneath, muted trumpet, hot and breathless, fully belted, stacked lead harmonies, gang shouts] HEEL, TOE, DRAG IT SLOW TIP YOUR HAT AND DOWN YOU GO ONE STEP BACK TWO STEPS MORE JOKER WALK ACROSS THE FLOOR STEP REAL LIGHT STAND REAL TALL LET THAT BRASS SHAKE EVERY WALL WHEN IT STOPS [hard stop - silence, one detuned music-box note] WE STOP [swing slams back in, shoegaze swell] WHEN IT WALKS WE WALK DO THE JOKER WALK [Gang - swing, heel clicks, haze glowing] [Gang] JOKER WALK! [Lead] Keep it moving! [Gang] JOKER WALK! [Lead] Mind your step! [Gang] JOKER WALK! [Final stop - silence, low whispered laugh] [vocoder whisper] Good. [Outro - shoegaze haze dissolves, butterfly-wing flutter, fade] [End]
