Understudies

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

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.

He said it's perfect when you're finally performing
But all this waiting around just gets so boring.

When the show is over
Then people in 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 back door

In the alley there's an 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 the gaffer
Discuss the things they're getting
And where they're going after.

And if 4am's the night time 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.

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.

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.
Cue the dancers.
The director phones the actor
But the actor doesn't answer.

Call the back up.
Get the new guy.
They're pacing around backstage
Trying to brush up on their lines.

The understudy
Plays the savior.
Comes in and does the part without
The dangerous behavior.

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.