The Show Must Go On
Queen; Elton John Lyrics


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Empty spaces, what are we living for
Abandoned places, I guess we know the score
On and on, does anybody know what we are looking for
Another hero, another mindless crime
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime
Hold the line, does anybody want to take it anymore
The show must go on
The show must go on, yeah
Inside my heart is breaking
My make-up may be flaking
But my smile still stays on

Whatever happens, I'll leave it all to chance
Another heartache, another failed romance
On and on, does anybody know what we are living for?
I guess I'm learning (I'm learning learning learning)
I must be warmer now
I'll soon be turning (turning turning turning)
Round the corner now
Outside the dawn is breaking
But inside in the dark I'm aching to be free
The show must go on
The show must go on, yeah yeah
Ooh, inside my heart is breaking
My make-up may be flaking
But my smile still stays on

Yeah yeah, whoa wo oh oh

My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies
Fairy tales of yesterday will grow but never die
I can fly, my friends
The show must go on (go on, go on, go on) yeah yeah
The show must go on (go on, go on, go on)
I'll face it with a grin
I'm never giving in
On, with the show

Ooh, I'll top the bill, I'll overkill
I have to find the will to carry on
On with the show
On with the show
The show, the show must go on
Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on
Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on
Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on




Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on
Go on, go on

Overall Meaning

"The Show Must Go On" is a powerful and emotional song performed by Elton John that is said to be about Freddie Mercury's cancer battle. The lyrics are filled with symbolism and metaphors, with the repeated phrase "the show must go on" serving as a representation of how life and work must continue despite the obstacles we face. The first few lines set the stage by describing the emptiness and sense of futility that pervades our lives, with abandoned places and mindless crime being just a few examples of the many challenges we must face.


As the song progresses, we see the singer grappling with their own inner turmoil and heartbreak, with their makeup flaking and their smile still staying on. This is a poignant reminder of how we often put on a brave face in the midst of adversity, even when everything inside of us is falling apart. Despite this pain, however, the singer knows that they must keep going, leaving everything to chance and facing each new heartache with a grin.


The final verse is perhaps the most hopeful of all, with the singer proclaiming that they will "top the bill" and "overkill," ready to take on the world and continue living their life to the fullest. It is a fitting tribute to the late Freddie Mercury, a larger-than-life figure who remained an inspiration to his fans and friends even in the face of death.


Line by Line Meaning

Empty spaces, what are we living for
What is the point of our existence in this world with all the emptiness around us?


Abandoned places, I guess we know the score
We are well aware of the desolation that abounds us and its implications.


On and on, does anybody know what we are looking for
With the constant grind of life, does anyone really know the purpose of their quest?


Another hero, another mindless crime
Every time we lose someone good, it's always in vain to another senseless occurrence.


Behind the curtain, in the pantomime
Life is just a never-ending theatrical play that unfolds behind a veil of illusions.


Hold the line, does anybody want to take it anymore
With everything that we have to bear, who wants to continue to endure anymore?


The show must go on
Despite everything that happens, we must keep up the facade and perform on this stage of life.


Inside my heart is breaking
My heart is shattered into a million pieces.


My make-up may be flaking
Although I am falling apart, I still put on a brave face.


But my smile still stays on
I will continue to be who I am despite the hardship.


Whatever happens, I'll leave it all to chance
I am at the mercy of the universe and everything that it presents to me.


Another heartache, another failed romance
I have experienced heartbreak and despair once again in the story of love.


On and on, does anybody know what we are living for?
The constant cycle of ups and downs makes us question the point of our existence.


I guess I'm learning (I'm learning learning learning)
I am slowly realizing that there is much to learn in this fleeting life.


I must be warmer now
I have to be kinder and more empathetic to others in order to lead a fulfilling life.


I'll soon be turning (turning turning turning)
A new leaf will be turned as I learn from the past and evolve into a better version of myself


Round the corner now, outside the dawn is breaking
A new day is dawning and a fresh start awaits on the horizon for me.


But inside in the dark I'm aching to be free
Deep down, I long to break free from the chains that bind me and to find my true calling in life.


My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies
My soul is as delicate and as beautiful as the wings of butterflies.


Fairy tales of yesterday will grow but never die
The legends of the past will be passed down from generation to generation, never forgotten.


I can fly, my friends
I am capable of achieving my dreams and soaring to great heights.


Ooh, inside my heart is breaking
Even though I am hurting inside, I remain strong and resilient.


But my smile still stays on
I will continue to wear a smile despite everything that happens.


I'll top the bill, I'll overkill
I will give my all and excel at everything that I do in life.


I have to find the will to carry on
I must dig deep within myself to find the strength and courage to move on with life.


On with the show
Let's keep moving forward and putting on the act that life requires us to stage.


The show, the show must go on
We have no choice but to keep putting on the performance of a lifetime.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Roger Taylor, John Deacon, Brian May, Freddie Mercury

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@pairedgalaxy2163

Its lovely how brian always talks about how much he misses Freddie its just sad though and everybody loved Freddie,John just thought Freddie is the only person with that talent and knew it was over after his death,I would say if everybody in this world had a gun nobody would shoot Freddie he is a legand

R.I.P
Freddie Mercury
The greatest showman ever.A legand
And his words were.
The show must go on.
And thats what we will do keep Queen were they are on fam and how good people like their music
The best band ever



All comments from YouTube:

@TheThirdGerman

He didn't sing this to contest with Freddie Mercury, he sang it to honour him. He deserves credit for that. Some people here fail to realize that.

@VOD713

TheThirdGerman 👏🏼

@Jbessette

It should be noted that Freddy Mercury and Elton John were close friends

@ykalon

@@Jbessette Elton John is friend to just about all in the music industry.

@rustinzitoun6820

Man, i just realized that its true

@brendendesimone9278

@@ykalon he's not friends with Keith Richards

95 More Replies...

@angiel2710

Elton was a great friend of Freddie’s and even visited him on his deathbed. LOYALTY

@RB747domme

Angie L I'm not entirely certain Elton actually visited Freddie ON his deathbed..

..If he did, then that's probably best kept prrivate between Elton and Freddie.

@joshualaedtke2043

Freddie never had a deathbed

@juliact

@@RB747domme He did. There's video of it. I'm not sure how close it was to the end, but he visited Freddie regularly after Freddie became house-bound. He used to sneak in the back, but I think the last time he came, he said, F*** it, and came in the front door. The press door-stopped him and asked him what he was doing there, he said, "I'm simply visiting a friend". God bless you Elton.

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