The Show Never Ends

[Intro] (lights up) Smile, breathe, perform— (no, not like that, smile wider) ahh, the smell of dreams—factory fresh. --- [Verse 1] Stage fright? nah—just debt. Clap louder, it feeds the rats. (we love you!) Yeah, I love your money too. Contracts taste like champagne and glue. A song for the masses, or the marketing team? Hard to tell—it’s all one screen. “Be yourself!”—sure, as long as it tests well. (fake applause) Cue sincerity. Cut. Do it again. --- [Chorus] The curtain falls, rises, stutters— Oops, no off switch. (keep rolling!) Tragedy’s trending—what a pitch! We laugh, we cry, we monetize— I choke on fame and corporate lies. Encore? sure, let’s pretend— The show (ha!) never ends. --- [Verse 2] Spotlight burns holes where my soul should be. That’s art, right? (so brave!) The rats in ties—oh, they squeak with pride. Sell me sadness, I’ll make it rhyme, give it rhythm, call it prime time. Guitars scream truth in a key of fraud, but the paycheck hums, “good job.” (we love your pain) Yeah, so do I— it’s deductible. --- [Bridge] Cut to me smiling— (insert audience cheer) I’m dying inside, but it’s endearing. Laughter canned, morals scanned. Every deal’s a hand grenade disguised as a handshake. Boom—another chart-topper! (what a miracle) Faith, hope, royalties. --- [Verse 3] I asked for art— They gave me merch. I asked for freedom— They sent research. “Be honest,” they grin, “just stay on brand.” Oh yeah, real human emotion— now with 20% off! (manic laughter) Who needs truth when you’ve got views? Who needs fans when you’ve got focus groups? Ah, sweet authenticity— mass-produced in perfect symmetry. --- [Final Chorus] Cue the lights—no exit yet. Don’t breathe—budget’s set. We fake collapse, we fake amends— (so powerful) Yes, yes— The show. Never. Ends. --- [Outro] (lights dim, static buzz) Someone whispers—cut the feed. But the cameras blink, hungry things— (we love you!) I smile, teeth like stage lights. A rat in gold. The crowd applauds. Roll credits. Start again.