The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
You clamber up and look behind
Their watchful eyes, the helping hands
A hen that's fierce and painted blue
With red eyes wants to swallow you
A dragon dives and soars on tracks
The hands that strap you to it's back
You turned around and look behind
Their smiling eyes won't help you down
Their tiny hands, their tiny feet
Such little hearts to miss a beat
Grotesque dwarves in mirrored rooms
Pulled and taut, a thousand yous
Staring back through stinging tears
Remembering those fun house thrills
The paintbox tunes and wild balloons
Their watchful eyes, you start to swoon
Oh, painted vile in lurid hue
The snarling horse that waits for you
It's motor whirs and colors curl
Inside your head, the monsters whirl
It's motor whirs and colors curl
Inside your head, the monsters whirl
In sucked out, time stood still
Roundabout back, carousel
Time stood still
And you remember it well
In sucked out, time stood still
Roundabout back, carousel
Time stood still
And you remember it well
Carousel, carousel
Their watchful eyes, the helping hands
A hen that's fierce and painted blue
With red eyes wants to swallow you
A dragon dives and soars on tracks
The hands that strap you to it's back
You turned around and look behind
Their smiling eyes won't help you down
Their tiny hands, their tiny feet
Such little hearts to miss a beat
Grotesque dwarves in mirrored rooms
Pulled and taut, a thousand yous
Staring back through stinging tears
Remembering those fun house thrills
The paintbox tunes and wild balloons
Their watchful eyes, you start to swoon
Oh, painted vile in lurid hue
The snarling horse that waits for you
It's motor whirs and colors curl
Inside your head, the monsters whirl
It's motor whirs and colors curl
Inside your head, the monsters whirl
In sucked out, time stood still
Roundabout back, carousel
Time stood still
And you remember it well
In sucked out, time stood still
Roundabout back, carousel
Time stood still
And you remember it well
Carousel, carousel
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Bad trip- your favorite image can turn on you- another cycle of life- likewise what you hate can turn beautiful! one of my favorites
Steve Severin wrote about this song:
"'Carousel' is trying to remember what's its like when you're a child--it's a bit cinematic and it reminds me of films like Funhouse or Hitchcock's Strangers On A Train, with the carousel at the end. It's not particularly horrific, but it gives a great feel. I think we did throw Caligari in there too!"
I always thought it was more than that. No one writes such a creepy song without something really dark in mind.
It starts out describing a carnival ride, but it quickly becomes more than that. the images in the carnival bring to mind painful memories for you (second person narrative).
"Their tiny hands, their tiny feet Such little hearts to miss a beat"
So in looking at the kids (teenagers most likely) around, you think of how young you were when this happened (and must have been around that age). This, coupled with the descriptions of the surroundings, that in the moment of the event in question, "time stood still," and the vividness of the memories make it highly significant.
"Roundabout back Carousel"
wraps it up.
Something terrible happened to this person as a kid at the carnival, behind the carousel. After what must have been years it still brings up a surrealist nightmare, and triggers what seems like dissociation when recalling it.
Which is pretty dark.
This song is super creepy. All those traumatizing childhood visions of the carnival are captured wonderfully.
A small child at a funpark. Simple as that. The carnival horses and funhouse mirrors nd high/fast rides can be kinda scary to a four-year-old, but scary in a fun way
Strange, trippy and simple. I like it
"SIOUXSIE: It is trying to remember what its like when you are a child - its a bit cinematic and it reminds me of films like 'Funhouse' or Hitchcock's Strangers On A Train, with the carousel at the end." Source: BSIDE 02/89.
one of my fave banshees song...siouxsie sioux's voice creeps all over your skin..
x
peekaboo is a childish saying, coinsidently the albums title.
One of my favorite SATB songs.