In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
I’ve seen your face in every place that I’ll be goin’
I read your words like black hungry birds read every song
Rise and fall
Spin and call
And my name
Is carnival
Sad music in the night
Sings a scream of light out of chorus
And voices you might hear appear and disappear
In the forest
Short and tall throw the ball
And my name is carnival
Strings of yellow tears
Drip from black wire fears
In the meadow
And their white halos spin
With an anger that is thin
And turns to sorrow
King of all
Hear me call
Hear my name
Carnival
Here there is no law
But the arcade’s penny claw
Hanging empty
The painted laughing smile
And the turning of the style
Do not envy
And the small
Can steal the ball
To touch the face
Of carnival
The fat woman frowns
At screaming frightened clowns
That move enchanted
And a shadow lie and waits
Outside your iron gates
With one wish granted
Colours fall
Throw the ball
Play the game
Of carnival
Without a thought of size
You come to hypnotize
The danger
The world that comes apart
Has no single heart
When life is stranger
Wheel and call
Clawed dreams all
In the name
Of carnival
Wheel and call
Clawed dreams all
In the name
Of carnival
I read your words like black hungry birds read every song
Rise and fall
Spin and call
And my name
Is carnival
Sad music in the night
Sings a scream of light out of chorus
And voices you might hear appear and disappear
In the forest
Short and tall throw the ball
And my name is carnival
Strings of yellow tears
Drip from black wire fears
In the meadow
And their white halos spin
With an anger that is thin
And turns to sorrow
King of all
Hear me call
Hear my name
Carnival
Here there is no law
But the arcade’s penny claw
Hanging empty
The painted laughing smile
And the turning of the style
Do not envy
And the small
Can steal the ball
To touch the face
Of carnival
The fat woman frowns
At screaming frightened clowns
That move enchanted
And a shadow lie and waits
Outside your iron gates
With one wish granted
Colours fall
Throw the ball
Play the game
Of carnival
Without a thought of size
You come to hypnotize
The danger
The world that comes apart
Has no single heart
When life is stranger
Wheel and call
Clawed dreams all
In the name
Of carnival
Wheel and call
Clawed dreams all
In the name
Of carnival
Lyrics submitted by aggiedo
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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Does anyone have a clue concerning the meaning? The only thing that comes into my mind here is that Carnival could mean, that he's kind of always in disguise to fool the people about his sad state of mind. You could maybe see it here for example: "The painted laughing smile And the turning of the style Do not envy" I don't know if it's correct, but there seems to be nothing that speaks against it, despite all the things I don't understand like: "And a shadow lie and waits Outside your iron gates With one wish granted"
But still it's a wonderful mysterious song that I really feel very deeply somehow.
@SteeleDream I think it is a shadow lion waits outside your iron gates with one wish answered.
i wish more people had heard this song. it's really beautifully done.
it is very good. the whole album is
idk what its about but its a great song for sure :)
These lyrics are very dark and very abstract. I think the key to understanding these lyrics is to understand what is meant by carnival. His name is carnival. Is carnival an anthropomorphism? No, because his name is carnival. It is the opposite of anthropomorphism. The antonym of anthropomorphism is dehumanization. The "protagonist", so to speak, has become dehumanized by his experiences in life and his relations with others. The fat woman, the high wire, the sad clowns, the arcade's penny claw are all symbols of the draining of his soul and his constant despair. His life has become a carnival and that is who he has become. These are very sad and depressing lyrics, masterfully presented. This is a great song.
I loved to read the previous interpretations of this song. I think the clue to understanding this song, is the reference to a carnival game, where clown puppets move by and people throw balls into their opened mouths. there are plenty of pictures available, it looks pretty scary i think. i think he is one of those puppets, or sees his life as such and is repeating the same things over and over again. The first sentence I've seen your face in every place I'll be goin, the tenses don't work. so maybe he already knows what he will be seeing even though he hasn't been there yet.
There are still a couple of lines i can't make sense of. Like the 2nd, or the ones with the yellow tears (tears of joy?), maybe someone has ideas :)