There was a fanfare in the great hall
For the debut of the emperor’s wall
Isn’t it beautiful?

And all the advisors, they did declare
“It’s the greatest wall ever made anywhere
See how the parapets shine
It’s a perfect design”

But then a child stepped out of the crowd
And said “Fools that new wall you’re all talking about
Watch me walk through it”

She was deported right then and there
It’s the greatest wall ever made of thin air
And we say “She’s just a child
She’s done nothing at all
She’s just on the wrong side
Of the emperor’s new wall”

The emperor’s plan is the talk of the town
Nobody’s been able to quite nail it down
Isn’t it genius?

And all the advisors, behind his back
Say “Maybe this time he has finally cracked
And if they say I played along
It was for a good cause”

But then the emperor models his clothes
And all of the townspeople laugh for they know
His body is naked

And all the advisors sigh in relief
For all of our eyes are now fixed on the chief
And we say “He’s such a child
He’s the ruin of us all
At least I’m on the right side
Of the emperor’s new wall”

When all of the scribes have gathered their notes
And this charming story is finally told
They’ll give us a fable

About the false prophet who made himself king
Now we’ll never do that sort of thing again
And we say “How did he end up there
As if out of thin air?"

Then when a child steps out of the crowd
And says “Fools, it was you who gave him that crown
And you’d do it all again!”

Think very carefully how you respond
For this is the moral of my charming song
If you say “He’s just a child
He knows nothing at all”
You might just be on the wrong side
Of the next emperor’s new wall