I'm the man behind the curtain
The one who pulls the strings
Got my finger on the button
But my mind's on other things
I'm the most impressive person
No one's ever really seen, oh

In the shadow of the spotlight
Always waiting in the wings
I'm ready for my close up
When the fat lady sings
I don't know if you can hear me
But you'd better hear me out
I manipulate the matrix
I know how it all turns out

I'm the man behind the curtain, oh
Pay no attention to
The man behind the curtain, oh
And I know how it all turns out

My little white lies
Are all getting colored in
My impromptu alibis
Well, they're wearing mighty thin
Though you don't walk away with anything
You didn't carry in
I deliver dispensation
For most any random sin

I'm the man behind the curtain, oh
Pay no attention to
The man behind the curtain, oh
And I know how it all turns out

And when the curtain gets pulled away
Guess there's always a piper to pay
You caught me out
In my base deception
I was only trying to make
The wrong impression
On the punters, punks and drunkards
That fortune floats my way
And the curtain gets pulled away

I'm the man behind the curtain, oh
Pay no attention to
The man behind the curtain, oh
I know how it all turns out
I'm the man behind the curtain, oh
Pay no attention to
The man behind the curtain, oh
I know how it all turns out
The man, the man, the man, the man, the man
I know how it all turns out

And when the curtain finally comes down
The puppets all slump to the ground
The doves lie silent in their covered cages
And though the mezzanines are still echoing
With the rock of ages
The circus has moved on to another town
And the curtain finally comes down...