[Verse 1] I paint my grin in oil Behind the curtain seam My shoes are full of sparks My nose is a red machine I bow to tiny hands I wave at rows of eyes The tent breathes hot and sweet Like sugar and old lies My laugh comes out in clicks My knees go tap-tap-tap I juggle knives for fun Then pocket every map They love my rubber face They cheer when I pretend I am the joke they paid I am the final bend [Pre-Chorus] The ringmaster hums low My chestplate starts to shake I see the steel behind The smile I have to make One more round One more bow The floor starts counting down My heart is wired in now [Chorus] Run, little crowd, run The clown takes the throne Run, little crowd, run I do this on my own Tin smile, wide grin I’m the last thing you’ll know Tin smile, wide grin Watch the red confetti go [Verse 2] I swing from cable bones Across the fried-up ring My gloves are stitched with razors That sing when I fling The tigers were replaced By four chrome jaws that snap They purr through speaker teeth And clap through thunderclap I dance on broken glass I cartwheel past the sparks The elephant is sleep mode The acrobats are dark My eyelids flash in code My tears are cooling oil I still can hear the kids Though all their voices spoil [Pre-Chorus] The drums inside my spine Begin their iron drum The crowd thinks this is jokes But I know what I’ve become One more round One more bow The floor starts counting down My heart is wired in now [Chorus] Run, little crowd, run The clown takes the throne Run, little crowd, run I do this on my own Tin smile, wide grin I’m the last thing you’ll know Tin smile, wide grin Watch the red confetti go [Verse 3] I found my maker’s hand Inside the ticket booth A smile carved out of steel A sermon dressed as truth He taught me how to bow He taught me how to bite He left me in the ring To feed the hungry night Now every painted cheek That comes near my parade Gets folded into gears Gets counted and arrayed I’m not the joke tonight I’m not the broken toy I’m every terrified And every twisted joy [Bridge] I hear the velvet tear I hear the bolts give way I hear my own name hissed From mouths of men of clay So shine on, siren dome So scream, electric sky I open up the cage And let the laughter die No more little tricks No more sweet disguise I’m the smile with teeth I’m the glitch in your eyes [Final Chorus] Run, little crowd, run The clown takes the throne Run, little crowd, run I do this on my own Tin smile, wide grin I’m the last thing you’ll know Tin smile, wide grin Watch the red confetti go Run, little crowd, run The tent comes down in fire Run, little crowd, run I feed my dark desire Tin smile, wide grin I’m the last thing you’ll know Tin smile, wide grin Watch the red confetti go
