Ladies and gentlemen, take your seat, The world's gone mad, but the show's a treat! The tickets are free, but the price is your soul, Welcome to the circus — we've lost control! There's a golden-haired king with a hell of a tan, Who swears he's the greatest that ever ran. He wants a Peace Prize, he wants a crown, While the rest of the world just wants him to calm down. He sells you a dream, then sends you the bill, And calls it a victory, smiling still. He's got all the answers, or so we're told, But the truth gets lost in a tower of gold. Roll out the carpet, polish the throne, Give him a microphone, leave him alone! He'll promise you heaven, then charge you the fee, And call it the land of the brave and the free! THE CLOWNS ARE RUNNING THE WORLD TONIGHT! Selling us darkness and calling it light! THE CLOWNS ARE RUNNING THE WHOLE DAMN SHOW! And nobody knows where the hell we go! Hey! Hey! Raise your glass! Kiss the ring and kiss their ass! Hey! Hey! Shout it loud! We're the fools who gave them the crowd! Netanyahu talks peace with a polished grin, While the bombs keep falling and the cash rolls in. Putin wants an empire, Putin wants a throne, So he sends other sons where the cold winds moan. They preach about honor, they preach about pride, While innocent children have nowhere to hide. They fight over borders, they fight over land, With the blood of the helpless all over their hands. Give them a medal, give them a crown, Give them a planet to burn to the ground! Tell them they're brilliant, tell them they're wise, Just keep the dead children out of their eyes! THE CLOWNS ARE RUNNING THE WORLD TONIGHT! Selling us darkness and calling it light! THE CLOWNS ARE RUNNING THE WHOLE DAMN SHOW! And nobody knows where the hell we go! Hey! Hey! Raise your glass! Kiss the ring and kiss their ass! Hey! Hey! Shout it loud! We're the fools who gave them the crowd! The rich fly to Mars while the poor sleep in cars, The bankers sell debt and the preachers sell stars. The weapons sell well, and the profits look great, While the rest of mankind gets a front-row seat. We've got artificial brains and natural fools, A planet of sheep obeying the rules. We cry for the victims, we share and we sigh, Then scroll to a cat with a cute little tie. A mother holds shoes that her child used to wear, And whispers a prayer to the cold empty air. No king and no flag can explain what she's lost, No throne in the world could be worth such a cost. YOU CALL THIS FREEDOM? YOU CALL THIS PEACE? HOW MANY CHILDREN BEFORE THE MADNESS WILL CEASE?! THE CLOWNS ARE RUNNING THE WORLD TONIGHT! Selling us darkness and calling it light! THE CLOWNS ARE RUNNING THE WHOLE DAMN SHOW! And nobody knows where the hell we go! Hey! Hey! Raise your glass! Kiss the ring and kiss their ass! Hey! Hey! Shout it loud! We're the fools who gave them the crowd! Ladies and gentlemen, that's all for tonight. The world's still burning, but the profits look right. And if you don't like the circus... STOP VOTING FOR THE FUCKING CLOWNS!
