Draped in silk gown
She danced around
She filled this place with her smile
She was the queen
Of an Amazon dream
She made us feel for a while

(chorus)
Was it from spite
Or just sheer delight
You stooped so low
Now I wanna know
Why you killed the clown
Yeah, you shot her down

I watch you try
Try to make that girl cry
So you could be king for just one day
And you said that her smile
Was no more than a lie
Just because she had something, something to say

Was it from spite
Or just sheer delight
You stooped so low
Now I wanna know
Why you killed the clown
Yeah, you shot her down
Was it from spite
Or just sheer delight
You stooped so low
Now I wanna know
Why you killed the clown
Yeah, you shot her down

Yeah, you, you killed the clown
You laughed as she drowned
And it was the only time I ever saw you smile
Oh Precious and few
Were the clowns we all knew
And though they made us feel for a while

Was it from spite
Or just sheer delight
You stooped so low
Now I wanna know
Why you killed the clown
Yeah, you shot her down

Oh, you shot her down