Richie Havens i started a joke

i started a joke which started the whole world crying
but i'd only seen that the joke was on me
i started to cry to started the whole world laughing
oh if i'd only know that the joke was on me
i looked at the sky running my hands over my eyes
and i fell out of bed hurting my head from things that i said
i finally died which started the whole world living
oh if i'd only seen that the joke was on me