The single released before the album was "Market Square Heroes", with the double B-sides "Three Boats Down from the Candy" and the 17 minute epic "Grendel".
"He Knows You Know" and "Garden Party" were also released as singles, and became Top 40 hits in the UK.
This is the only Marillion album to feature Mick Pointer, founding and current drummer for Arena.
Notes:
-Although their first single "Market Square Heroes" never appeared on the original album, it can be briefly heard during a short radio segment prior to 'Forgotten Sons'.
-According to Fish, Script for a Jesters Tear is the first of a trilogy of albums, and classified as 'bedsit thoughts'. Fugazi was deemed 'hotel thoughts' and Misplaced Childhood as 'home thoughts'. This was to enable the listener to understand the feelings and surroundings that shaped the songwriting.
-There was supposed to be a rubber plant featured on the album's cover, per Fish's request - part of Fish's stage theatrics at the time included tearing apart a rubber plant at the climax of The Web. However, Mark Wilkinson, who air-brushed this and several other albums for Marillion, forgot to include it.
-The version of "Grendel" on the remastered CD is not the same version as the original 1983 17 minute B-side single release.
Script for a Jester's Tear
Marillion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the playground of the broken hearts
One more experience, one more entry
In a diary, self penned
Yet another emotional suicide
Overdosed on sentiments and pride
Too late to say I love you
Too late to restage the play
Abandoning the relics
In my playground of yesterday
I'm losing on the swings
I'm losing on the roundabouts
I'm losing on the swings
I'm losing on the roundabouts
Too much, too soon, too far to go
Too late to play the game is over
The game is over
So here I am once more
In the playground of the broken hearts
I'm losing on the swings
I'm losing on the roundabouts
The game is over, over, over
Over, over, over, over, over
Yet another emotional suicide
Overdosed on sentiments and pride
I'm losing on the swings
I'm losing on the roundabouts
The game is over
Too late to say, "I love you"
Too late to restage the play
The game is over
I act the role in classic style
Of a martyr carved with twisted smile
To bleed the lyric for this song
To write the rights to right my wrongs
An epitaph to a broken dream
To exercise this silent scream
A scream that's born from sorrow
I never did write that love song
The words just never seemed to flow
Now sad in reflection did I gaze through perfection
And examine the shadows
On the other side of the morning
And examine the shadows
On the other side of morning
Promised wedding now awake
Promised wedding now awake
Awake, awake, awake, awake
The fool escaped from paradise
Will look over his shoulder and cry
Sit and chew on daffodils and struggle to answer why?
As you grow up and leave the playground
Where you kissed your prince and found your frog
Remember the jester that showed you tears
The script for tears
So I'll hold my peace forever
When you wear your bridal gown
In the silence of my shame the mute
That sang the sirens' song
Has gone solo in the game
I've gone solo in the game
But the game is over
Can you still say you love me?
Can you still say you love me?
Can you still say that you love me?
Do you love me, do you love me?
Do you love me, do you love me?
Do you love me just as you did
Can you still say you love me?
Can you still say you love me?
Can you still say that you love me?
Just as is, just as is
Do you love me, do you love me?
Do you love me?
"Script for a Jester's Tear" is a haunting and melancholic song that speaks of the loss and regret experienced by the singer. The lyrics speak of a broken heart, emotional suicide, and the end of the game. The playground of broken hearts is a vivid metaphor for love that has ended in disappointment and pain. The singer is experiencing yet another emotional suicide, too late to say "I love you", too late to restage the play, too much, too soon, too far to go. The sense of loss is palpable, and the singer is losing on the swings and roundabouts of life, unable to make sense of it all. The music is slow and mournful, with a sense of finality that mirrors the lyrics.
The second verse speaks of the singer's attempts to write a love song, but the words never seemed to flow. Looking back, the singer realizes that he was sad in reflection, and gazed through perfection to examine the shadows. He never lived up to his own expectations, and now feels the shame and silence of that failure. As the game ends, the singer wonders if his former love still loves him. Can you still say you love me? the singer asks, desperately seeking validation and comfort.
Line by Line Meaning
So here I am once more
Starting again in the same situation
In the playground of the broken hearts
Surrounded by people who have been hurt in love
One more experience, one more entry
Adding another event to my personal history
In a diary, self penned
Writing about my life from my own perspective
Yet another emotional suicide
Killing myself emotionally through my actions
Overdosed on sentiments and pride
I've indulged too much in my emotions and ego
Too late to say I love you
I missed my chance to express my feelings
Too late to restage the play
I can't undo what has already happened
Abandoning the relics
Leaving behind the remnants of my past
In my playground of yesterday
In the place where my old memories reside
I'm losing on the swings
I'm failing in my efforts to move forward
I'm losing on the roundabouts
I'm losing momentum and not making progress
Too much, too soon, too far to go
I took on more than I could handle and have a long way to go
The game is over
It's time to stop playing and move on
I act the role in classic style
I'm pretending to be someone else
Of a martyr carved with twisted smile
I'm sacrificing myself and covering up my true emotions
To bleed the lyric for this song
To pour my heart out for this song
To write the rights to right my wrongs
To find a way to make amends for my mistakes
An epitaph to a broken dream
A tribute to the loss of a dream
To exercise this silent scream
To release my pent up emotions through music
A scream that's born from sorrow
My emotions are so intense they feel like a scream
I never did write that love song
I failed to express my love through music
The words just never seemed to flow
I couldn't find the right words to express my emotions
Now sad in reflection did I gaze through perfection
Looking back I realize I was too idealistic
And examine the shadows
Taking a closer look at the darker side of things
On the other side of the morning
In a new beginning, after the darkness of the night
Promised wedding now awake
A wedding that was promised but never happened
Awake, awake, awake, awake
I'm now alert and aware of my mistakes
The fool escaped from paradise
I thought I could escape from my problems
Will look over his shoulder and cry
I'll regret my decisions and feel sorry for myself
Sit and chew on daffodils
To indulge in meaningless activities
And struggle to answer why?
I'll have difficulty making sense of my situation
As you grow up and leave the playground
As you mature and move on from childhood situations
Where you kissed your prince and found your frog
Where you experienced both love and disappointment
Remember the jester that showed you tears
Remember the person who taught you the value of emotion
The script for tears
The lesson taught by the jester was to express emotion through music
So I'll hold my peace forever
I will never speak my true feelings
When you wear your bridal gown
On your wedding day
In the silence of my shame the mute
I'm unable to express myself out of embarrassment
That sang the sirens' song
My voice that once was alluring but now is gone
Has gone solo in the game
I'm now alone and independent
But the game is over
But the situation has ended, I must move on
Can you still say you love me?
Do you still have feelings for me?
Do you love me, do you love me?
Is your love for me genuine?
Just as is, just as is
Without any conditions or changes
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Derek William Dick, Mark Kelly, Michael James Pointer, Pete Trewavas, Steve Rothery
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind