the show must go on

the plot's all laid out

characters take the stage

the antagonist riles the crowd

egocentric heroes rise to save the day

have I seen this before?

yeah I've seen it before!

i've seen it all before!

and i know, i know, i know

where this goes!

now we got the setup

the villain reveals his plan

though it seems a bit far fetched

it appeals to the crowd's short attention span

just a sideshow distraction

it's all a bit contrived

the motivation all too obvious

yet the crowd can't help but divide

have I seen this before?

yeah I've seen it before!

i've seen it all before!

and i know, i know, i know

where this goes!

come one, come all to the greatest con-show

where we're all participating
we just don't know

they got us with the oldest trick in the book

classic sleight of hand while they gotchya on the hook

so we pontificate, argue, and debate

and play into their hands the more we separate

they keep seeding dissent and feeding the hate

new actors take the stage but the script stays the same

does nobody notice?

I must be going insane!

it's the same shit night after night

always two sides lookin at each other to blame

the villain is defeated

the hero takes his place

only to repeat the cycle again

same person with a different face!

have I seen this before?

yeah I've seen it before!

i've seen it all before!

and i know, i know, i know

where this goes!

come one, come all to the greatest con-show

where we're all participating
we just don't know

they got us with the oldest trick in the book

classic sleight of hand while they gotchya on the hook

so we pontificate, argue, and debate

and play into their hands the more we separate

they keep seeding dissent and feeding the hate

new actors take the stage but the script stays the same

when did it start?

there's something wrong,
something I can't put my finger on,
a slight difference in demeanor,

I felt ya pull back, get a little withdrawn
yeah, it's so uncouth to be outspoken,
in a world of introverted, trivial speculation
anything to avoid confrontation

not caring who is hurt in the long run

no verbal expression, it's all guesswork,
you're either in or out, very roundabout,
anti-what yer preachin', I'm calling a foul,
so snap this thought, let's say it's the fourth down,
it's not too hard to see punting became your routine,
when backed into a corner, I've learned your game by now

it's easier to distance ourselves
than engage in a little communication,
let it rot on the shelf,
where it's hidden but not forgotten,
affecting all around it,
disappearing in it's own corruption,
'til ya can't recognize a damn thing,
so yer left making assumptions,
stories riddled with plot holes
characters left undeveloped and dull,
and ya ask yourself, "what the hell was this all for?"
no more revelations, yer completely lost,
tuned into the wrong station, still payin' the cost
carrying that weight around, ya can't seem to settle down
or shake this feeling that something might be off
just ask yourself,
"when did it start?"