The Bright Side of Death

[Verse 1] Painted teeth on a blacklight grin, Velvet rope where the mourners go in, The ticket man has a silver cane, He taps out time on a coffin lid. Pink bulbs hum on the chapel wires, Organ keys under sugar and fire, A harlequin bows with a broken crown, Says, “Everybody gets a turn underground.” [Pre-Chorus] So dress the bones in sequins, Tune the choir to a scream, There’s a carnival in the cemetery, And the gates run on gasoline. [Chorus] Come see the bright side of death, Neon burning in the breath, Slow bells swinging in the chest, Come see the bright side of death. If the end comes dressed in color, Let it dance until it’s done, We all go down together, But we don’t go down numb. [Verse 2] Candy skulls in the vending light, Paper moons on a funeral ride, The ferris wheel turns with a rusted cough, Lifting saints with their halos off. Bass drum hits like a graveyard heart, Glitter sticks to the falling dark, The clowns all laugh with their makeup cracked, Throwing black roses from a Cadillac. [Pre-Chorus] So kiss the coin and spend it, Let the brass band bite its tongue, There’s a hymn beneath the siren, There’s a joke inside the gun. [Chorus] Come see the bright side of death, Neon burning in the breath, Slow bells swinging in the chest, Come see the bright side of death. If the end comes dressed in color, Let it dance until it’s done, We all go down together, But we don’t go down numb. [Synth / Guitar Break] [Crushing slow doom riff with bright hypersynth arpeggios, toy-organ melody, glassy bell hits, and a carnival minor-key lead. Guitars sustain like cathedral walls shaking. Drums stay slow and huge.] [Bridge] No preacher selling rescue, No angel counting sins, Just the floodlights on the midway And the music crawling in. One hand full of ashes, One hand full of sparks, Laughing with the skeletons Till the color eats the dark. [Final Chorus] Come see the bright side of death, Neon burning in the breath, Slow bells swinging in the chest, Come see the bright side of death. If the end comes dressed in color, Let it dance until it’s done, We all go down together, But we don’t go down numb. [Outro] Painted teeth on a blacklight grin, Velvet rope where the mourners go in, The last light flickers, the big tent bends, The bright side laughs, and the curtain descends.