The Show Goes On
Bruce Hornsby Lyrics


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What's the long face, what's all the crying for
Didn't you expect it when you opened your door
To the man with the long coat and the long list of victims
Everybody watching knows he's the one keeping score
From where she sits, everyone stands in judgment
People watching as the curtain falls down
See the lights do a long slow fade
The show goes on, and the sad-eyed sisters go walking on
Everyone watching all along
The show goes on, as the autumn's coming
And the summer's all gone
Still without you, the show goes on

Some say she's alright, some say she'll never learn
Some rush into things, some stand and wait their turn
I've been here all along standing here all this time
But you never noticed, just let the same tired flames burn
From where she sits, everyone stands in judgment
People watching as the curtain falls down
See the lights do a long slow fade

The show goes on, and the sad-eyed sisters go walking on
Everyone watching all along
The show goes on, as the autumn's coming
And the summer's all gone
Still without you, the show goes on

Time is passing,slowly passing you by
You better try to find it before it passes you by
As I watch you walking to another cold dawn
And you keep on walking
And they keep on talking
Talking all along

From where she sits, everyone stands in judgment
People watching as the curtain falls down
See the lights do a long slow fade
The show goes on, and the sad-eyed sisters go walking on
Everyone watching all along
The show goes on, as the autumn's coming




And the summer's all gone
Still without you, the show goes on

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bruce Hornsby & the Range's song "The Show Goes On" are a reflection on the cyclical nature of life, specifically the way that things continue to move forward even in the face of tragedy and hardship. The opening lines, "What's the long face, what's all the crying for / Didn't you expect it when you opened your door," set the stage for this idea, suggesting that the singer and his subject are all too aware of the inevitability of pain and difficulty in life.


The song then goes on to describe a woman who is being judged by those around her, even as she struggles to cope with her own pain. The singer acknowledges that some people rush into things while others wait their turn, but ultimately, he seems to suggest that everyone is ultimately powerless in the face of life's twists and turns. He describes the way that the "sad-eyed sisters go walking on" even as "the summer's all gone," emphasizing the idea that life goes on regardless of what we do or don't do.


The final lines of the song suggest that time is slipping away from the subject, who must "try to find it before it passes [her] by." Despite this, the song concludes on a note of hope, reminding us that "the show goes on" even when things seem overwhelming or out of control. Ultimately, "The Show Goes On" is a powerful meditation on the way that life can be both beautiful and difficult, and the way that we must keep moving forward even in the face of adversity.


Line by Line Meaning

What's the long face, what's all the crying for
Why do you look so sad and why are you crying?


Didn't you expect it when you opened your door
Weren't you expecting this problem when you allowed certain people in your life?


To the man with the long coat and the long list of victims
Refers to someone with a long history of causing pain and destruction who is now causing more harm.


Everybody watching knows he's the one keeping score
Everyone is aware that the person keeping score and causing harm is the one responsible for everything.


From where she sits, everyone stands in judgment
The woman in question is being judged by everyone else because she is in a vulnerable position.


People watching as the curtain falls down
Others are watching as the situation ends.


See the lights do a long slow fade
The situation is ending slowly and the lights are slowly going off, indicating that the situation is coming to an end.


The show goes on, and the sad-eyed sisters go walking on
Despite what has happened, life goes on with or without the woman.


Everyone watching all along
Others have been observing everything that has happened all along.


The show goes on, as the autumn's coming
Even though the seasons are changing, life continues.


And the summer's all gone
Summer, a time of happiness is over and the coming autumn might bring sadness.


Still without you, the show goes on
The woman may be gone, but the world continues to function as the woman watches on.


Some say she's alright, some say she'll never learn
People have different opinions about the woman, some think she'll improve while some believe she will never get better.


Some rush into things, some stand and wait their turn
People handle problems differently, some take on things quickly and others wait.


I've been here all along standing here all this time
Someone has witnessed everything that has happened from the beginning.


But you never noticed, just let the same tired flames burn
Despite others being present, the woman was too focused on one thing to notice anyone else.


Time is passing, slowly passing you by
Time is slowly slipping away.


You better try to find it before it passes you by
The person should try to catch up with time before it’s too late.


As I watch you walking to another cold dawn
Someone observes the woman walking into another cold and possibly unhappy time.


And you keep on walking and they keep on talking
The woman keeps walking while others continue to speak.


Talking all along
Others continue to talk.




Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: BRUCE HORNSBY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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