Spotlight simmers on the floor
And falls on the ingénue, in powder blue
And I watch her from the wings
She parodies the spring, and wilts away
I'm dulled, I'm dancin' in the cold
Like cattails in the wind, I bend, but I don't fold
I'm feeling old, and phantom-limbed, and gray

But it's love, held with dirty hands
The lion and the lamb
Everything's a sacrifice
Whether you're smiling like a winner
Or cryin' like a clown, mm

So, I'm leaving you with this
Something you can miss
A tear before the final bow
Is it everything you wanted
With roses on the ground? (Oh)

'Cause it's love, held with lonely hands
Kicked out of the band
Everything's a sacrifice
Whether you're cryin' like a winner
Or clapping in the stands