Oh yes, I'm the great pretender
Pretending that I'm doing well
My need is such; I pretend too much
I'm lonely but no one can tell.

Oh yes, I'm the great pretender
A drift in a world of my own
I play the game; but to my real shame
You've let me to dream all alone.

Too real is this feeling of make believe
Too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal.

Oh yes I'm the great pretender
Just laughing and gay like a clown
I seem to be what I'm not; you see
I'm wearing my heart like a crown
Pretending that you're still around.

Yes I'm the great pretender
Just laughing and gay like a clown
I seem to be what I'm not you see
I'm wearing my heart like a crown
Pretending that you're still around

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Jimmy Parkinson's "The Great Pretender" depict a speaker who is pretending to be doing well, but is actually quite lonely. The singer is aware of their need to pretend and acknowledges that they do it too much. They are living in a world that is their own, playing a game that, to their real shame, has left them dreaming alone. The singer describes the feeling of make believe as being too real, as their heart can't conceal the truth.

The song's chorus repeats the idea that the singer is the great pretender. They laugh and act gay like a clown, appearing to be something they are not. The singer wears their heart like a crown, pretending that someone who is no longer there is still around.

Overall, the song illustrates the emotional pain of loneliness and the ways in which people use pretense as a coping mechanism to hide their true feelings. The lyrics are emotionally charged, and the melody's upbeat tempo adds to the irony of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh yes, I'm the great pretender
I am pretending to be someone I am not.

Pretending that I'm doing well
I am pretending to be happy and successful.

My need is such; I pretend too much
My desire to be perceived as happy and successful is too strong, causing me to pretend too much.

I'm lonely but no one can tell.
Despite my pretending, I am actually quite lonely and nobody can see through my act.

A drift in a world of my own
I feel alone and disconnected from others.

I play the game; but to my real shame
I go along with the expectations of society, even though it makes me feel ashamed and unhappy.

You've let me to dream all alone.
You have left me to my own devices, causing me to escape into my own dreams and fantasies.

Too real is this feeling of make believe
Despite my pretending, the feeling of loneliness and disconnection is too real to ignore.

Too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal.
I am unable to hide my true feelings and emotions, despite my attempts at pretending.

Just laughing and gay like a clown
I try to cover up my sadness and loneliness by putting on a happy and carefree persona, like a clown.

I seem to be what I'm not; you see
I appear to be a happy and carefree person, but in reality, I am not.

I'm wearing my heart like a crown
I am overly emotional and sensitive, wearing my heart on my sleeve for all to see.

Pretending that you're still around.
I am pretending that someone I love is still with me, even though they are not, in an attempt to cope with my loneliness.

Contributed by Layla T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.