So here I am once more
In the playground of the broken hearts
One more experience, one more entry
In a diary, self penned
Yet another emotional suicide
Overdosed on sentiments and pride

Too late to say I love you
Too late to restage the play
Abandoning the relics
In my playground of yesterday

I'm losing on the swings
I'm losing on the roundabouts
I'm losing on the swings
I'm losing on the roundabouts
Too much, too soon, too far to go
Too late to play the game is over
The game is over

So here I am once more
In the playground of the broken hearts
I'm losing on the swings
I'm losing on the roundabouts
The game is over, over, over
Over, over, over, over, over

Yet another emotional suicide
Overdosed on sentiments and pride
I'm losing on the swings
I'm losing on the roundabouts
The game is over

Too late to say, "I love you"
Too late to restage the play
The game is over

I act the role in classic style
Of a martyr carved with twisted smile
To bleed the lyric for this song
To write the rights to right my wrongs
An epitaph to a broken dream
To exercise this silent scream
A scream that's born from sorrow

I never did write that love song
The words just never seemed to flow
Now sad in reflection did I gaze through perfection
And examine the shadows
On the other side of the morning
And examine the shadows
On the other side of morning
Promised wedding now awake
Promised wedding now awake
Awake, awake, awake, awake

The fool escaped from paradise
Will look over his shoulder and cry
Sit and chew on daffodils and struggle to answer why?
As you grow up and leave the playground
Where you kissed your prince and found your frog
Remember the jester that showed you tears
The script for tears

So I'll hold my peace forever
When you wear your bridal gown
In the silence of my shame the mute
That sang the sirens' song
Has gone solo in the game
I've gone solo in the game
But the game is over

Can you still say you love me?
Can you still say you love me?
Can you still say that you love me?
Do you love me, do you love me?
Do you love me, do you love me?
Do you love me just as you did

Can you still say you love me?
Can you still say you love me?
Can you still say that you love me?
Just as is, just as is

Do you love me, do you love me?
Do you love me?


Lyrics submitted by Idan, edited by Voided

Script for a Jester's Tear [1997 Remaster] Lyrics as written by Mark Kelly Derek William Dick

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Script For A Jester's Tear song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

9 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +4
    General Comment

    "the mute that sang the sirens' song" that just breaks my heart. I have loved this song for so long . Its a song that's wriiten by a scotsman. Scots guys are seldom are in touch with their feelings unless drunk. But this has a celtic mans remorse, the poetic romantic Rabby burns side of the scotsman that can't find the words to say as he feels until its too late "So I'll hold our peace forever when you wear your bridal gown" and before Im slated by scotsman claiming im harsh on them and what do i know........ i'm a scotswoman.

    tineon August 16, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    pure lyrical genius that's sung with lots of emotion

    TheOtherVictimon April 03, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    fantastic song especially after the line "Promised wedding now awake". Just pure awesomeness

    Phoenix935on August 19, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    One of the greatest songs ever. Quite self-explaining. Perhaps a man who never had the courage to admit his love so he lost her to another.

    infinityontrialon March 24, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    great song but remember too put a space inbetween promised wedding now a wake not awake is in sleeping but the rite funeral/wake

    radioheadsteron June 23, 2021   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    one of my favorie marrillion songs. I have read that this song refers to fish's relationship with his much loved girlfriend kay though it was written much before kayleigh but then I don't know how long they were together..... It's clearly about lost love and regret, very sad but fantasic song

    2stepson December 04, 2004   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    A lot of fish lyrics are to do with lost love I find ....and another sad story behind the ex girlfriend of fish is I read on marillion web page that Kay that inspired these songs has since died of cancer I heard :(

    mark son May 02, 2017   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It\'s "promised wedding now a wake" not "awake" - as in a wake that proceeds a funeral. Awake doesn\'t even make sense in the context of the lyrics but "a wake" does.

    Voidedon February 12, 2022   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It\'s "promised wedding now a wake" not "awake" - as in a wake that proceeds a funeral. Awake doesn\'t even make sense in the context of the lyrics but "a wake" does.

    Voidedon February 12, 2022   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
when rules change
Life in Your Way
High life
Album art
Battle Royale
Word Alive, The
This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone). And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
Album art
Techno Ted
Audioslave
Techno Ted may be a person who caused Chris incredible emotional pain & trepidation as well as moments of peace & happiness but now is removed and awaiting his fate. Darling may be a different person who is also free of him and can live her life free of Ted's tyranny. "In between all the laughing, and daydreams ... lies: a desert of truth" Lies are like a desert or the omission of Truth: Where there were Lies then Truth was absent. The song, "Techno Ted", may be a cathartic celebration of the downfall of this person.
Album art
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve. The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future. Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere" The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”