[Intro – soft strings, rhythmic shimmer] Step inside, the doors are closed, The night forgets what daylight knows. Every smile a subtle blade, Welcome to the masquerade. ⸻ [Verse 1 – graceful, mid-tempo groove] Luminous eyes and porcelain lies, A thousand truths in thin disguise. The crystal breath of whispered plans, The dance begins, the hour stands. No names tonight, just roles to play, No saints survive the shadow’s sway. You bow, you drink, you lose your name— And learn that beauty rigs the game. ⸻ [Pre-Chorus 1 – rising tension] Tick by tick, the charm unwinds, The waltz forgets its measured lines. ⸻ [Chorus 1 – bright, magnetic energy] Welcome to the masquerade— Where truth and dare are both on stage. The dice are rolled, the debts are paid, And innocence is just a shade. Welcome, darling—don’t be late, The hour’s come, the hands won’t wait. Your name’s been called, your part is played— Welcome to the masquerade. ⸻ [Verse 2 – smooth, sly undercurrent] The queen bee hums her golden creed, The sheriff hides what hearts still bleed. The preacher’s wife has lost her prayer, While silver secrets scent the air. Each glass is raised to someone’s sin, Each vow begins where lies begin. The clock keeps time with breathless grace, And truth can’t find its proper place. ⸻ [Pre-Chorus 2 – luminous and poetic] The hour bends, the mirrors sigh, Even time forgets to lie. ⸻ [Chorus 2 – fuller and confident] Welcome to the masquerade— Where virtue’s veil is tailor-made. The guilty waltz, the saints parade, And every secret makes the grade. Welcome, darling—take your place, The crown is watching every face. The world’s a stage, the night’s betrayed— Welcome to the masquerade. ⸻ [Bridge – “Golden Secret” Version] Lean in close, it’s all in rhyme— Secrets dance in 4/4 time. Listen, love, the night won’t tell, But echoes know their secrets well. The songs remember every clue— And some were written just for you. ⸻ [Final Chorus – radiant and expansive] Welcome to the masquerade— The hour strikes, the stars cascade. The mask will slip, the hand will fade, And history’s debt will be repaid. Welcome, darling—curtains fall, But no one leaves, not one at all. The clock runs red, the truth is stayed— Welcome to the masquerade. ⸻ [Outro – fading shimmer and ticking beat] The night keeps score. And time obeys.
