Lyrics

Magic Mirrors

Have you heard the silver-tongued devil? He sounds as good as gold
His words warm and generous, but designed to take hold
He tracks the scent of the warm hearts to hide his own, ice cold
He stores his hollow victories in his attic, musty and old

Do you know the tragic trickster? Sleight of hand is his trade
He palms the cards he shows you up his sleeve in a flimsy charade
But don’t dare to be the wiser, never call a spade a spade
His hall of magic mirrors only reflects the mistakes you have made

He rides the coattails of the scapegoats
Turns the heroes into turncoats
Flips his failures to the fall-guys
Shines a gaslight on the big lies

Have you seen the shifty sheriff? He’s the law in a lawless town
He croons his ballads to the barmaids, deputizes the rodeo clowns
Protector of the weak and the weary, saviour of the damned and the down
He’s got an old tin star & a 10-gallon hat, but he wants to be the king, he wants the crown

Do you fear the old fear-monger? With his soul as dark as a cave
He feeds on your attention, the more you give the more he’ll crave
He needs you to stay afraid, he hopes you will never be brave,
And if you think he will ever say he’s sorry, you will take that to your grave.

© Michael Hughes and Sharon Nauss-Hughes, 2020