"Welcome. Welcome. Welcome to the show. The one that never ends. The one that follows you home. The one that lives in your teeth."
---
[VERSE 1]
THE TENTS ARE RED. THE LIGHTS ARE LOW.
THE SAWDUST TASTES LIKE EVERYONE YOU USED TO KNOW.
THE CALLIOPE IS SCREAMING IN A KEY THAT MAKES YOU BLEED.
THE CLOWNS DON'T WEAR MAKEUP. THE CLOWNS DON'T NEED.
THE RIDES ARE MADE OF RIBBONS. THE RIBBONS ARE MADE OF SKIN.
THE PRIZE AT THE END IS THE PRIZE YOU WERE ALWAYS IN.
A MIRROR. A MOUTH. A TICKET. A TOOTH.
THE CARNIVAL IS HUNGRY. THE CARNIVAL IS TRUTH.
---
[HOOK]
CARNIVAL OF THE DAMNED! STEP RIGHT UP!
YOU CAME FOR THE SHOW? YOU ARE THE CUP!
CARNIVAL OF THE DAMNED! DRINK IT DOWN!
THE PRETTIEST SMILE IN THE GRAVEST OF TOWNS!
---
[VERSE 2]
I SAW A WOMAN SWALLOW FIRE. THEN THE FIRE SWALLOWED HER.
THE CROWD CHEWED. THE CROWD STIRRED.
I SAW A STRONGMAN LIFT THE SKY. IT CRUSHED HIM TO A PULP.
THE CROWD ASKED FOR AN ENCORE. THE CROWD YELPED.
I SAW A FORTUNE TELLER READ THE FUTURE IN A VEIN.
SHE SAID "YOU'RE ALREADY DEAD. YOU JUST HAVEN'T FELT THE PAIN."
I LAUGHED. SHE LAUGHED. THE TENT LAUGHED TOO.
THE CARNIVAL IS HUNGRY. THE CARNIVAL IS YOU.
---
[BRIDGE]
"You think you're watching? You think you're safe? Look down. Look at your hands. Look at your feet. The sawdust isn't sawdust. The lights aren't lights. You've been on the ride since you arrived. You just forgot. That's the trick. That's the game."
---
[VERSE 3]
I TRIED TO LEAVE. THE TENT HAD NO DOOR.
I TRIED TO SCREAM. MY THROAT WAS ALREADY THE FLOOR.
I TRIED TO REMEMBER MY NAME. MY FACE. MY LIFE.
THE CARNIVAL SAID "YOU ARE THE KNIFE.
YOU ARE THE CUT. YOU ARE THE BLOOD.
YOU ARE THE REASON THE SAWDUST MUD
TASTES LIKE IRON. TASTES LIKE LOSS.
YOU NEVER LEFT. YOU NEVER CROSSED
THE GATE. YOU WERE ALWAYS HERE.
YOU WERE ALWAYS THE SKY
WE LOOKED UP AT AND SAID 'THAT ONE.
THE ONE WHO THINKS THE CARNIVAL IS FUN.'"
---
[BREAKDOWN]
[Spoken:]
"There is no exit. There is no end. There is no version of this story where you walk away and forget the way the lights looked. The way the hunger felt."
YOU ARE THE CARNIVAL NOW.
YOU ARE THE TENT. YOU ARE THE CROWD.
YOU ARE THE SCREAM. YOU ARE THE SMILE.
YOU NEVER LEAVE. YOU NEVER LEFT.
THE CARNIVAL IS ALL THAT'S LEFT.
---
[FINAL HOOK]
CARNIVAL OF THE DAMNED! STEP RIGHT UP!
YOU CAME FOR THE SHOW? YOU ARE THE CUP!
CARNIVAL OF THE DAMNED! DRINK IT DOWN!
THE PRETTIEST SMILE IN THE GRAVEST OF TOWNS!
CARNIVAL OF THE DAMNED! ONE MORE RIDE!
THE TENT IS YOUR CHEST. THE LIGHTS ARE YOUR EYES.
CARNIVAL OF THE DAMNED! WELCOME HOME.
YOU WERE NEVER ALONE. YOU WERE NEVER ALONE.
---
[OUTRO]
"The carnival doesn't close. It just waits. For you. For the next one. For the hunger that never stops. That's the deal. That's the ride. That's the truth at the center of the tent."
"See you tomorrow."
AsheTheHyena
