Dress me up like a jester bright,

[Technical notes: folk noir, indie folk, slow to mid tempo, male vocal, acoustic guitar base, subtle violin and cello backing, sparse percussion with brushes, piano interludes before each verse, instrumental pause after chorus, intimate and emotional vocal delivery, slight melancholic tone, natural room reverb, minimal effects.] [Verse 1] Dress me up like a jester bright, With a cap that jingles soft and light. I would knock on every door, Say these words and maybe more: "Want a tune to make you smile? I can dance and joke awhile. Or would you like — if you agree — All my soul poured out for free?" [Chorus] No one wants a jester blue, Sing and dance — that’s all for you. Laughs and jokes, that’s what they seek, Not your soul, and not your grief. [Verse 2] Crowds will gather all around, Kids are screaming, joy unbound. I will tell my finest jest, Let them laugh and never rest. Earn my coin with honest flair, Song and dance and jokes I share. “Will you come tomorrow too?” Someone whips me — out of view… [Chorus] No one wants a jester blue, Sing and dance — that’s all for you. Laughs and jokes, that’s what they seek, Not your soul, and not your grief. [Verse 3] “Sharp your tongue,” someone will say, “Not just jokes — you cut like a blade. There’s an axe that waits for you — But tears don’t sell. We need laughs, not truth.” Though we laugh while we hide our pain, They say it helps — again and again. The jester’s got one more line to give — “Bravo to me — I’ve got jokes to live!” [Outro] The jester’s got one more line to give — “Bravo to me — I’ve got jokes to live!”