Smile For The Camera

[Verse 1]
Alarm goes off, I’m already late
Paint on the brave, seal up the cracks
Coffee strong, jokes even stronger
No one sees what I’m carrying back
[Pre-Chorus]
I’ve got the timing, the laugh on cue
If happiness is a role, I play it for you
[Chorus]
Call it “Smile for the Camera”, say cheese, don’t ask
Flashbulb moments, a well-trained mask
I’m doing fine in the frame you see
Smile for the camera—count one, two, three
[Verse 2]
I’m the upbeat song on a long commute
The friend who listens, never needs proof
I keep it light, keep moving fast
So nobody notices the weight in the past
[Pre-Chorus]
I spin the truth till it sounds okay
Turn “I’m not great” into “great day”
[Chorus]
Call it “Smile for the Camera”, perfect pose
Cut to the part where nobody knows
I’m alright in the highlight reel
Smile for the camera, don’t show what I feel
[Bridge]
Maybe one night when the lights go low
I’ll let the quiet finally show
Till then I’m bright, I’m easy, I am
A living, breathing Instagram
[Chorus]
Yeah, “Smile for the Camera”, hold it steady
I look so strong, I look so ready
If you rewind between the lines
You’ll hear the truth between the smiles
[Outro]
Fade to black when the room goes quiet
Still here, still trying, just getting by it
One day honest, but for now I’ll glam—
Smile for the camera.

Cheerful children’s TV melodies corrupted by extreme power electronics, unsettling contrast