Lyrically, the song uplifts people who struggle to fit the molds made for them by modern society. Carlile said on NPR of the track, "There are so many people feeling misrepresented ... So many people feeling unloved. Boys feeling marginalized and forced into these kind of awkward shapes of masculinity that they do or don't belong in... so many men and boys are trans or disabled or shy. Little girls who got so excited for the last election, and are dealing with the fallout. The song is just for people that feel under-represented, unloved or illegal."
Production
"The Joke" first came about when Carlile and producer and co-writer Dave Cobb started talking about Carlile's most successful single, '"The Story". Carlile told NPR "it started off with Dave insinuating that we haven't had a vocal moment like "The Story" since, well, "The Story" we all went home that night and I was like, who tells you to rewrite a song that you wrote a decade ago? But it just kept nagging me – like the truth does, you know". Cobb later played her An American Trilogy by famed American singer Elvis Presley during a session. Cobb explained, "I was playing her Elvis Presley's American Trilogy...there's something magical about that recording. I mean it's the way it affects you; the way it's big in the chords, just pulling every single emotion out of you. So I played that, and then she wrote "The Joke". I played her one of the greatest songs of all time, and then she wrote one of the greatest written since that one".
Critical reception
The Joke was widely acclaimed by music critics, with major praise going for its melody and the subject matter in its lyrics. Magazine American Songwriter called the track's intensity "mind-blowing", and dubbed it "a true masterpiece". NPR lauded the single as "A country-rock aria dedicated to the delicate boys and striving girls born into — and, Carlile insists, destined to triumph over — this divisive time." Rolling Stone called the track an "anthemic ballad", and The A.V. Club described it as "a beacon of hope for those discouraged by today's political climate". Said Slant, "The song's chorus explodes with catharsis, big emotions that are earned by Carlile's storytelling but driven home by the cinematic arrangement."
Following the song's wins and Carlile's performance of the song at the 2019 Grammys, "The Joke" debuted at number 1 on the February 23rd dated Billboard Rock Digital Song Sales chart. The song also re-entered the Hot Rock Songs chart at number 4, becoming Carlile's first song ever to reach the top 30.
