Understudies

[Verse 1]

In the window of the storefront

There's a mugshot for a manhunt

And those cakes all decorated with cartoons

Piñatas shaped like parrots

Secrets leaking from the gas tanks

In the back, while they were twisting up balloons

The helium was noble

And the nitrous was obnoxious

And the neon lit the stage

For the patrons in their boxes

And the scarecrow stepped on set

He stumbled, then recovered

Started on his steps then said, "Whatever"

[Pre-Chorus]

This is showbiz

Hit the spotlight

If you really want to dance then put your shoes on

And the diamond

In his tie pin

Was blinking like an isolated neutron

[Chorus]

He said it's perfect when you're finally performing

But all this waitin' 'round just gets so boring

[Verse 2]

When the show is over

Then a people in the theater

Stand up and start to clap

Try to take this whole thing back

But the night is just beginning

For the actor and the gaffer

He's taking off his makeup

And they meet up by the backdoor

In the alley there's a taxi

When they get in, it starts moving

And the driver gets a feeling

That he knows just where they're going

And it's quiet and he listens

To the actor and the gaffer

Discuss the things they're gettin'

And where they're going after

[Chorus]

And if 4am's the nighttime or the morning

It's hard to get to sleep after performing

When a star is born, the habit begins forming

It's hard to get to sleep after performing

[Verse 3]

The adrenaline it kicks in

When the stagehand hits the curtain

It's exciting when you're working

You get to be a different person

But later when it's over

And they're sweeping up the lobby

And you're still on that wavelength

And it's sometimes hard to shake it

The bakery is a business

That's pretty unsuspecting

They're busy on the third shift

And the doors are always open

The actor and the gaffer

They enter through the kitchen

When the baker sees them coming

He starts taking off his apron

[Verse 4]

Now it's showtime

Hit the spotlights

But the gaffer never turned up

And his phone's been dead since last night

Now it's showtime (Now it's showtime)

Cue the dancers (Cue the dancers)

The director phones the actor

But the actor doesn't answer

Call the back up (Call the back up)

Get the new guy (Get the new guy)

They're pacing around backstage

Trying to brush up on their lines

The understudy (The understudy)

Plays the savior (Plays the savior)

Comes in and does the part

Without the dangerous behavior

[Chorus]

But when a star is born, the habit begins forming

It's hard to get to sleep after performing

Is 4am the night time or the morning?

It's hard to get to sleep after performing