The Show Goes On
Bruce Hornsby The Range Lyrics
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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
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
The Show Goes On by Bruce Hornsby and the Range is a poignant song about perseverance in the face of adversity. The lyrics describe a situation where the singer is judged by everyone around her, and her struggles are on full display for all to see. The song begins with the question "what's the long face, what's all the crying for," which instantly sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is asking why she is so sad and pointing out that she should have expected the problems that have come her way. He describes how everyone is watching as she faces her struggles, and how the man keeping score is always present in the background.
The chorus of the song, "the show goes on," speaks to the idea that even though she is facing difficult times, life goes on. The sad-eyed sisters walking on symbolize that life continues even though she may feel like she's falling apart. The singer's struggles continue throughout the second verse, where she is compared to people who rush into things or who stand and wait their turn. The singer reveals that he has been watching all along but that she never noticed him. The song ends with a powerful image of the singer walking into another cold dawn as people continue to talk behind her back.
Overall, The Show Goes On is a moving song that speaks to themes of resilience, perseverance, and the ability to keep moving forward even in the face of hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
What's the long face, what's all the crying for
Why are you upset and crying?
Didn't you expect it when you opened your door
Were you not prepared for what was to come?
To the man with the long coat and the long list of victims
The man with the long coat is assumed to be a perpetrator with a long record of crimes.
Everybody watching knows he's the one keeping score
People are aware that he is the problem, but no one tries to fix it.
From where she sits, everyone stands in judgment
The girl is being judged by everyone around her.
People watching as the curtain falls down
People are watching the situation unfold until it ends.
See the lights do a long slow fade
The show is coming to an end and the lights are slowly fading away.
The show goes on, and the sad-eyed sisters go walking on
Despite the difficulties, people continue to go on with their lives.
Everyone watching all along
People are witnessing the events that occur, but no one is interfering.
As the autumn's coming, and the summer's all gone
Time is fleeting and things are changing.
Still without you, the show goes on
Even though there is no significant change, life still goes on regardless.
Some say she's alright, some say she'll never learn
There are different opinions about the girl and her situation.
Some rush into things, some stand and wait their turn
People handle situations differently.
I've been here all along standing here all this time
The person speaking has been present throughout it all, but has not been noticed.
But you never noticed, just let the same tired flames burn
The girl did not notice the person and continued to let the same problems continue.
Time is passing, slowly passing you by
Time is fleeting and it's important to take action quickly.
You better try to find it before it passes you by
It's essential to take action as soon as possible to not lose time.
As I watch you walking to another cold dawn
The singer is observing the girl walking away and heading towards another difficult situation.
And you keep on walking, and they keep on talking, talking all along
No matter what happens, people will still talk and make judgments.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: BRUCE HORNSBY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind