E    B    C#m     B    G#   A

[Verse 1]
           E                            B         C#m
It was the first day of summer and the word came down
             B                              G#          A
And then the crowd started gathering on the edge of the town
            E                         B        C#m
To hear the band start kicking on the count of four
             B                            G#      A
And then the stranger with a promise of a miracle cure
         E                            B         C#m
He stood slender like a switch, cane, jet-black hair
           B                        G#       A
And stared deep into the frailty of everyone there
        E                          B        C#m
Until a smile came wide across his face and so
           B                           G#       A
Began the smoke and the mirrors of the medicine show. 

[Instrumental] (x2)
E    B    C#m      B    G#   A

[Verse 2]
            E                               B              C#m
He pulled a bottle from his pocket, said "I bring you good news
          B                                G#            A
"I got an end to all your worries and your hurt and them blues
            E                             B          C#m
So if your hair started thinning and your joints get bad
           B                            G#            A
Yeah it'll take away the pain you never knew that you had. 
            E                                   B    C#m
Yeah it'll make you good-looking it'll make you feel thin
    B                                   G#        A
And cures every one of the seven of the deadliest sins"
             E                            B       C#m
And then the money started flying and the crowd below
           B                            G#        A
It was the smoke and the mirrors of the medicine show

[Chorus]
            E                            B       C#m
It was the smoke and the mirrors of the medicine show
           B                            G#        A
It was the smoke and the mirrors of the medicine show

[Verse 3]
        E                             B        C#m
Well it takes a little businessman it ain't no crime
         B                        G#             A
To fool enough of the people for enough of their time
              E                          B          C#m
And it's your own damn problem if you're paying out for
         B                    G#          A
A little back-ditch water and little else more
             E                             B           C#m
And when the money's being counted and the stage comes down
          B                           G#          A
We're out looking for the suckers of another dumb town
           E                             B         C#m
And sing a prayer for every innocent who can't say no
        B                           G#          A
To the smoke and the mirrors of the medicine show

[Chorus]
            E                            B       C#m
It was the smoke and the mirrors of the medicine show
       B                            G#        A
I said "hey, good-looking, now come on, let's go"
            E                            B       C#m
It was the smoke and the mirrors of the medicine show