An acoustic version of our song, written by Meany Vizzini and originally performed by Vizzini, Ginny Di, Critical Bard, and Rochelle Ibarra. In a world where I wasn't in charge of the Critical Concert, this is what I might have submitted!
Lyrics:
Tough guys
Grinning through their snake eyes
Wanting to be sure I
Know I’m not welcome here
Follow
Work to blend into the shadows
Emulate the ones who don’t show
The extent of their fear
Crippled by the fetters of a foreign race
Shackled by the terror of a horrid face
Summed up as a symbol of malignancy
The source and aim of bigotry
The Nott-becoming part of me
Sheltered by the darkness sneaking out of sight
Haunted by reflections of the dawning light
Comfort finding only when I’m spirited
Encouraged by escape to move ahead
So hide it away
Don’t show your weakness
You cannot stay
If you are honest
Sure, they’ll pretend to be your friend
Until they find your secret and
They figure out exactly where to strike
So I wear a mask
Hidden in plain view
What you don’t ask
Ain’t gonna hurt you
So I wear the mask
Of who I’d rather be
Lonely
I am always feeling lonely
Oh, I have to be the only one
Who’s stuck in this hell
Happy
I just want them to be happy
Keep pretending and they won’t see
The sadness that you hide so well
Hide it away
Don’t show your weakness
No one will stay
If you are honest
Oh sure, they’ll pretend to be your friend
Until they see your sadness and
They figure out it isn’t worth their time
So I wear a mask
Hidden in plain view
What you don’t ask
Ain’t gonna hurt you
So I wear the mask
Of what you want to believe
Of who I’d rather be
Heckled by the promise of a brighter past
Ruined by the knowledge singeing it to ash
Caught up in a wave of nationality
Of losing my humanity
The guillotine was pulled by me
Set on a track
Can’t take it back
One thing defining my life as it’s starting to crack
Where to begin?
Hatin' within
Too much to swallow, I’m hollow and wallowing in all my sin
Finding my mind is gone crawlin'
So spineless and bawlin'
And joinin' the Nein is appallin',
Pretendin' it’s fine, oh the gall when
My kin who have fallen are callin' my name
Hide it away
Don’t show your weakness
No one can stay
Let’s just be honest
Oh ja, you’ll pretend to be their friend
Until they find your story and
They figure out exactly who you are
So I wear a mask
Hidden in plain view
What they don’t ask
Ain’t gonna hurt you
Now I wear the mask
Of what I want to believe