The Joker
Sérgio Mendes Lyrics


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The joker
The joker

There's always a joker in the pack
There's always a lonely clown
The poor laughing fool falls on his back
And ev'ryone laughs when he's down
There's always a funny man in the game
But he's only funny by mistake
Ev'ryone laughs at him, just the same
They don't see his lonely heart break
No, they don't care as long
As there is a jester, just a fool
As foolish as he can be
There's always a joker, that's a rule
But fate deals the hand and I see
The joker is me

There's always a funny man in the game
But he's only funny by mistake
Ev'ryone laughs at him, just the same
They don't see his lonely heart break
No, they don't care as long
As there is a jester, just a fool
As foolish as he can be
There's always a joker, that's a rule
But fate deals the hand and I see
The joker is me

There's always a funny man in the game
But he's only funny by mistake
Ev'ryone laughs at him, just the same
They don't see his lonely heart break
No, they don't care as long
As there is a jester, just a fool
As foolish as he can be
There's always a joker, that's a rule
But fate deals the hand and I see
The joker is me
The joker is me
(The joker)
The joker is me
(The joker)





The joker is me!

Overall Meaning

In Sérgio Mendes's "The Joker," the lyrics delve into the theme of loneliness and the masks people often wear to conceal their inner pain. The song starts off with the line, "there's always a joker in the pack," implying that there is always someone who is willing to put on a show and entertain others, even if it means being the butt of the joke. The second stanza emphasizes the fact that these "funny men" or "jesters" may not actually be happy themselves, instead using humor as a defense mechanism to cope with their pain. The line "they don't see his lonely heart break" captures the idea that others may not notice or care about the inner turmoil of those who are always joking around.


In the final stanza, the song takes a turn when the singer admits that they themselves are the joker. This revelation adds a level of vulnerability to the lyrics, making clear that even the person who seems to be entertaining and carefree on the surface can have their own struggles with loneliness and sadness.


Overall, "The Joker" offers a thought-provoking commentary on the complicated nature of human emotion and the ways in which people can use humor as a shield. The song highlights the fact that even those who seem to be the happiest and most lighthearted can be internally struggling with pain.


Line by Line Meaning

There's always a joker in the pack
There's always someone who brings amusement and laughter to a group


There's always a lonely clown
However, this individual is often isolated and seen as an outcast


The poor laughing fool falls on his back
The person who tries to make others happy often becomes the target of ridicule and mockery


And ev'ryone laughs when he's down
Instead of showing compassion, people join in and make fun of the person's misery


There's always a funny man in the game
There's always a person who can make others laugh


But he's only funny by mistake
However, this individual doesn't plan to be funny, it's just the way he is


Ev'ryone laughs at him, just the same
Despite his unintentional humor, others still use him as a source of entertainment


They don't see his lonely heart break
The person's emotions and feelings are ignored, and nobody takes his pain seriously


No, they don't care as long
As long as there's someone to make them laugh, they don't need to care about anything else


As there is a jester, just a fool
As long as there's someone to be the entertainment, even if they are being made fun of, people will be content


As foolish as he can be
People will still find the person amusing, no matter how dim-witted he is


There's always a joker, that's a rule
It's inevitable that there will always be someone who is seen as a source of humor


But fate deals the hand and I see
However, in the end, one can become the person that was once ridiculed


The joker is me
The person who once brought laughter is now the one who is the subject of it




Contributed by Ella J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@tinydancer6949

Another one of my favorites. This swings big time.

@barneythetroll5099

Awesome song !❤

@ahanujohnson-paulson8122

wow, I love this

@jmrodas9

All of Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66 are Great really.

@user-tl6ki6wi4t

Amazinnn love It FROM SPAIN!! Leni hall was so wonderful!!

@sergiop9885

AWESOME LOV it excellent Brazilian rhythms for this present time !!!! N this music it’s so real positive wit certain loud !!!!! Lani hall,s voice was great n amazin LOV the group Sergio Mende,s music really love it as so much ‘ I believe it music from past Its better than real present !!!!! Good album with certain touch of sensual Brazilian music 😅greetings from Spain!!

@Wixom2200

Classic 1960's Brazilian jazzzzzzz.

@justiciaideal46

Very nice. Some more contrabass can be welcome by the mix.

@618B

❤❤❤

@pasqualemuzzupappa8596

Lani Hall, superb!

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