Carnival Lyrics
a virtual stage
it seemed to me
make up on their faces
actors took their
places next to me
in a carnival
of sights to see
all the cheap thrill seekers
the vendors and the dealers
they crowded around me
have I been lost
inside my self and
my own mind
hypnotized
mesmerized
by what my eyes have seen?
in a spectacle of wealth and poverty
in the diamond markets
the scarlet welcome carpet
that they just rolled out for me
in the mad house asylum
they can be
where a wild eyed misfit prophet
on a traffic island stopped
and he raved of saving me
have I been lost
inside my self and
my own mind
hypnotized
mesmerized
by what my eyes have seen?
have I been wise
to shut my eyes
and play along
hypnotized
paralyzed
by what my eyes have found
by what my eyes have seen
what they have seen?
have I been lost
inside my self and
my own mind
hypnotized
mesmerized
by what my eyes have found
in that great street carnival
in that carnival?
This song has always seemed to me to be about becoming disillusioned with a world that occupies itself with facades ("it seemed to me, makeup on their faces, actors took their places next to me"). Eventually, you realize that you've been accepting things much too easily: "Have I been blind? Have I been lost inside myself and my own mind, hypnotized, mesmerized, by what my eyes have seen?" There's a sense of trying to navigate the bizarreness all around, looking for truth. Such vivid lyrics, and the music is so moody and evocative. This song owns; I love it to pieces. <3 I've adopted it as a theme song of sorts, as geeky as that sounds. XD
I think Kei's is a defensible interpretation, but I come away with less of a sense that the 'world is a stage' where all is superficial when I hear this song. I think as opposed to emphasizing the world's 'facade', she is trying to emphasize the tendency of each individual person to be ego-centric in their personal interpretations of the world.
I think Kei's is a defensible interpretation, but I come away with less of a sense that the 'world is a stage' where all is superficial when I hear this song. I think as opposed to emphasizing the world's 'facade', she is trying to emphasize the tendency of each individual person to be ego-centric in their personal interpretations of the world.
I grant that the lyric "Hypnotized, mesmerized by what my eyes have seen?" seems to imply the 'superficial' interpretations, but lyrics like "Have I been lost inside my self and my own mind?", along with "scarlet welcome carpet/they just...
I grant that the lyric "Hypnotized, mesmerized by what my eyes have seen?" seems to imply the 'superficial' interpretations, but lyrics like "Have I been lost inside my self and my own mind?", along with "scarlet welcome carpet/they just rolled out for me" and "actors took their/ places next to me" could be interpreted not as relating to a facade, but a preoccupation with oneself as opposed to others or the world without one's own mind. Hence other people being referred to as actors instead of people, etc.
I think its the world as awhole and just moving along and goign witht heflow but knowing deep down you need to do soemthing .. denial my friends , denial ..
That is what I was thinking,.... every single person Aileen ever knew or came in contact with found a way to exploit her, right down the act of killing her.
That is what I was thinking,.... every single person Aileen ever knew or came in contact with found a way to exploit her, right down the act of killing her.
Carnival is deeply beautiful, multifaceted, thought-provoking, bittersweet song. This level of songwriting is rare especially nowadays. I think it is about the facades that are created by the kinds of people who come into your life to dupe you, victimize you, and/or take advantage of you or to simply make themselves (or their lifestyles or belief systems) superior to you in some way. I believe it is about the way we think we know a person and we really do not. Yet something instinctual says no this is not right. Still we close our eyes "and play along" because the reality of it is to painful to face. Still the whole time we are knowing deep inside that what is being presented is not authentic. It is not right. This can be said for individual souls that meet us along the path of life and it can be about the injustices that so many of face in this world. Whole ways of life can be a facade of virtual smoke and mirrors. Simply an elaborate trick, not real--only lies and omissions that we seem to have become very capable of perpetrating onto each other to get our own needs met be it for money, fame, or for just plain evil. To harm and abuse and selfishly take even from the most helpless, impoverished and vulnerable among us. Trusting adults, children, animals, elderly people whomever we can “get over on” it seems. That is my impression of the carnival that Natalie Merchant is singing about. I first heard this song when I was watching a documentary about Aileen "Lee" Wuornos. No matter the reasons for what she did her life from childhood on was filled with unspeakable horror, poverty, desperation, tragedy, pain–and no one even when she was an infant was EVER there for her in any way. This song touches me deeply I love this song. It makes me cry at times, yet it comforts me deeply when I am in pain or am confused about the excluding, cruel, or senseless actions of others towards their fellow living beings this planet. Thank you Natalie Merchant for writing and singing this beautiful, truthful song, and thank you Lee for loving it enough so that I could find it also.
Thank you for your beautifully expressed comment. It says it all for me. I saw the documentary on Aileen last week and heard Carnival for the first time. The lyrics are amazingly appropriate. And the melody is addictive. I keep returning to it. It hits a nerve. The tragic story of Aileen's life and the pain she inflicted on others is rooted in absence. She learnt to connect and fill that emptiness in a way which stripped and scared her even more. Her mother's short interview was chilling. ...
Thank you for your beautifully expressed comment. It says it all for me. I saw the documentary on Aileen last week and heard Carnival for the first time. The lyrics are amazingly appropriate. And the melody is addictive. I keep returning to it. It hits a nerve. The tragic story of Aileen's life and the pain she inflicted on others is rooted in absence. She learnt to connect and fill that emptiness in a way which stripped and scared her even more. Her mother's short interview was chilling. We live in dread of absence and emptiness. We are all connected. We all have a part to play. Natalie Merchant has played her part using her talent to write this beautiful song.
Nice Interpretation Kei. Thats a funky explanation. I would combine a couple of your points and the facade that life presents to some people. You gotta admit sometimes if you sit back, take a good look around you .. its like one big stage.
Maybe she's questioning where she fits in this whole scene? Maybe the lyrics signify how insignificant one can feel?
I felt it was about being alone. Mentally I mean.
the american serial killer aileen wuernos requested this song be played at her funeral. just thought id share that with you! if you watched the documentary about her last year the lyrics to this seem to fit in well with how she felt
Yeah, I watched it again last night. Very sad what happened to Aileen. Can't help but think she probably was raped and beaten by the first guy and killed the others in a diminished mental state. I'm not against the death penalty, for it in fact, but she was crazy and the United States murdered her. I love this song but can't help but think of Aileen when I hear it. Sad that such a beautiful song reminds me of such wicked deeds (I'm referring to her muder rather than those people she "murdered").
Yeah, I watched it again last night. Very sad what happened to Aileen. Can't help but think she probably was raped and beaten by the first guy and killed the others in a diminished mental state. I'm not against the death penalty, for it in fact, but she was crazy and the United States murdered her. I love this song but can't help but think of Aileen when I hear it. Sad that such a beautiful song reminds me of such wicked deeds (I'm referring to her muder rather than those people she "murdered").
A lot of you guys seem to be right on track, I would take it one step further, you don't need to be wrapped up in Hollywood or the entertainment industry to be blind to the underside of our culture. This song says to me that each of us can be blind and wrong to what we do not want to see in our cities. Let's open our eyes...
Shakespeare said it best: "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances"
I know a previous poster had already mentioned this, but the fact that Aileen Wuornos requested for this song to be played during her funeral breaks my heart. it works, and it meant something to her. she went through so much BS that turned her into a monster. great song though, i remember being 8 years old watching the video on MTV when first came out.
I was probably about the same age when I saw it on MTV - can't believe it was that long ago. This song always reminds me of Aileen. Normally I'd want murderers put to death but I can't help but think she was raped and beaten by the first guy, Richard Mallory and was so troubled by what happend that her mind convinced her that anyone who made a sudden movement, maybe tried to bargin a better price etc was about to attack her again. She really was crazy. Wish I could listen to this song and try to picture...
I was probably about the same age when I saw it on MTV - can't believe it was that long ago. This song always reminds me of Aileen. Normally I'd want murderers put to death but I can't help but think she was raped and beaten by the first guy, Richard Mallory and was so troubled by what happend that her mind convinced her that anyone who made a sudden movement, maybe tried to bargin a better price etc was about to attack her again. She really was crazy. Wish I could listen to this song and try to picture what Natalie Merchant was living when she wrote it... but always I think of Aileen and the way in which she was killed unlawfully by the United States.
When director Nick Broomfield sent a working edit of the film, I was so disturbed by the subject matter that I couldn't even watch it. Aileen Wuornos led a tortured, torturing life that is beyond my worst nightmares. It wasn't until I was told that Aileen spent many hours listening to my album Tigerlily while on death row and requested "Carnival" be played at her funeral that I gave permission for the use of the song. It's very odd to think of the places my music can go once it leaves my hands. If it gave her some solace, I...
When director Nick Broomfield sent a working edit of the film, I was so disturbed by the subject matter that I couldn't even watch it. Aileen Wuornos led a tortured, torturing life that is beyond my worst nightmares. It wasn't until I was told that Aileen spent many hours listening to my album Tigerlily while on death row and requested "Carnival" be played at her funeral that I gave permission for the use of the song. It's very odd to think of the places my music can go once it leaves my hands. If it gave her some solace, I have to be grateful. – Natalie Merchant
Hmmmm, the words seem to suggest she is singing about Hollywood....stage, actors, make-up, thrill seekers, vendors, dealers, wealth, diamonds, red carpet. Just a thought, I'm probably dead wrong.
Kei, you are spot on