[Verse 1] They rolled out at midnight From the fairground gate Chrome cheeks, painted grin With a hungry face Little red bowties On a steel machine They waved like clowns Then they bared their teeth Their shoes went click On the cracked-up floor Every jack-in-the-box Came alive once more One had a balloon Full of razor wire One had a laugh Like an engine on fire [Pre-Chorus] Hear that giggle? Back up, back up See those hands? Don’t touch, don’t touch They came for play They came for blood If they find your name You’re good as done [Chorus] Tin smile parade Tin smile parade Run for the gate Run for the gate Tin smile parade Tin smile parade They clap and they spray They clap and they spray [Verse 2] Down by the tunnel Past the prize booth lights They dragged a toy truck Through the storm-soaked night One had confetti In a feed slot mouth One had a siren That would not shut down They spun on one heel Like a ballerina Then a blade shot out From the left lapel They juggle bones Like they learned to pray And the loudspeaker croons “Step right this way” [Pre-Chorus] Hear that giggle? Back up, back up See those hands? Don’t touch, don’t touch They came for play They came for blood If they find your name You’re good as done [Chorus] Tin smile parade Tin smile parade Run for the gate Run for the gate Tin smile parade Tin smile parade They clap and they spray They clap and they spray [Bridge] When the moon dropped low They stopped their show Every painted face Turned toward the road I saw my own breath In their glassy eyes Like a hundred cages Opening wide Then the leader bowed With a candy cane knife Said, “One more joke” For the rest of your life The crowd went quiet The lights went red And the whole damn tent Started shaking instead [Breakdown] Hey Hide the kids Hey Lock the doors Hey Keep your hands Off the candy floor [Final Chorus] Tin smile parade Tin smile parade Run for the gate Run for the gate Tin smile parade Tin smile parade They clap and they spray They clap and they spray Tin smile parade Tin smile parade Nowhere to hide Nowhere to hide Tin smile parade Tin smile parade If you hear them laugh It’s already inside
