The golden egg

Shoot yourself in the leg
And the goose lays the golden egg.
I had that golden egg before,
But it disappeared as I limped out the door.
Never reveal what you know
That the whole thing is just for show:
A cardboard world with painted skies,
Because we all must agree to believe in the lies.
Bring yourself down to your knees
And they'll give you the golden keys.
The keys will open any lock
To an empty room or a Chinese box.
I can forget how I feel
And pretend that it's all for real.
The pot won't call the kettle black
And I don't even feel the knife in my back.
And when we go off to our bed,
After struggling for our bread,
A pleasant dream may stand instead
Of the clamor and noise that goes on in your head.
So carry on like before
And don't listen to me any more.
Don't believe a word I sing
Because it's only a song and it don't mean a thing.