the man behind the curtain

i'm the man behind the curtain

the one who pulls the strings

got my finger on the button

but my mind's on other things

i'm the most impressive person

no one's ever really seen

oh

in the shadow of the spotlight

always waiting in the wings

i'm ready for my close up

when the fat lady sings

i don't know if you can hear me

but you'd better hear me out

i manipulate the matrix

i know how it all turns out

i'm the man behind the curtain

oh

pay no attention to

the man behind the curtain

oh

and i know how it all turns out

my little white lies

are all getting colored in

my impromptu alibis

well

they're wearing mighty thin

though you don't walk away with anything

you didn't carry in

i deliver dispensation

for most any random sin

i'm the man behind the curtain

oh

pay no attention to

the man behind the curtain

oh

and i know how it all turns out

and when the curtain gets pulled away

guess there's always a piper to pay

you caught me out

in my base deception

i was only trying to make

the wrong impression

on the punters

punks and drunkards

that fortune floats my way

and the curtain gets pulled away

i'm the man behind the curtain

oh

pay no attention to

the man behind the curtain

oh

i know how it all turns out

i'm the man behind the curtain

oh

pay no attention to

the man behind the curtain

oh

i know how it all turns out

the man

the man

the man

the man

the man

i know how it all turns out

and when the curtain finally comes down

the puppets all slump to the ground

the doves lie silent in their covered cages

and though the mezzanines are still echoing

with the rock of ages

the circus has moved on to another town

and the curtain finally comes down.