The Applause Machine

Intro

At first, I only watched.

Then I began repeating.

By the time I heard myself,

I thought it was my thinking.

Verse

You spoke until my fear made sense,

Gave every doubt a confidence.

You pointed out who didn't fit.

I felt relieved.

I'll answer for it.

You said suspicion kept us safe.

I studied every stranger's face.

And when my closest friend asked why,

I heard your answer.

Gave him mine.

Prechorus

He asked me when I'd grown so certain.

I said he'd understand in time.

I used to trust him with my troubles.

Now every question felt like taking sides.

Chorus

Keep the applause machine alive.

Give it the fear you keep inside.

It tells you who deserves the blame,

Then asks you why you feel ashamed.

I gave it more than my belief—

I let it choose who I could see.

Verse

I watched a woman taken out

For asking what the speech left out.

The people standing next to me

Began to clap.

I did the same.

At home I searched for what she'd said.

Your explanation came instead.

I played it till I felt relieved,

Then closed the search.

I had to sleep.

Prechorus

I knew the footage had been shortened.

I knew her question wasn't there.

But finding out meant facing something

I'd helped to happen from my chair.

Chorus

Keep the applause machine alive.

Give it the fear you keep inside.

It tells you who deserves the blame,

Then asks you why you feel ashamed.

I gave it more than my belief—

I let it choose who I could see.

Solo

Bridge

My friend still calls.

I watch it ring.

I know how every talk begins.

He'll ask about the woman's question.

I'll ask whose side he thinks he's on.

I miss the way we used to argue

And still make plans for Saturday.

Now I prepare myself to hate him

Before I hear what he will say.

Breakdown

I turn your broadcast off.

The argument continues.

I reach to turn it on.

I leave my hand beside me.

Chorus

Keep the applause machine alive.

It has my face.

It has my time.

It has the moment I applauded

Someone being dragged aside.

I cannot take my hands back then.

I can decide what happens next.

Outro

My friend still calls.

I let it ring.

Then call him back.

He asks me what I think.

For once,

I take my time.