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.
Crowd:
Come one, come all!
Leave your loops and milking stools
Coop the hens and pen the mules
Come one, come all!
Close the churches and the schools
It's the day for breaking rules
Come and join the feast of ...
Clopin:
Fools!
Once a year we throw a party here in town
Once a year we turn all Paris upside down
Ev'ry man's a king and ev'ry king's a clown
Once again it's Topsy Turvy Day
It's the day the devil in us gets released
It's the day we mock the prig and shock the priest
Ev'rything is topsy turvy at the Feast of Fools!
Crowd:
Topsy turvy!
Clopin:
Ev'rything is upsy daysy!
Crowd:
Topsy turvy!
Clopin:
Ev'ryone is acting crazy
Dross is gold and weeds are a bouquet
That's the way on Topsy Turvy Day
All:
Topsy Turvy!
Clopin and Crowd:
Beat the drums and blow the trumpets
All:
Topsy Turvy!
Clopin and Crowd:
Join the bums and thieves and strumpets
Streaming in from Chartres to Calais
Clopin:
Scurvy knaves are extra scurvy
On the sixth of "Januervy"
Clopin and Crowd:
All because it's Topy Turvy Day!
Clopin:
Come one, come all!
Hurry, hurry, here's your chance
See the myst'ry and romance
Come one, come all
See the finest girl in France
Make an entrance to entrance
Dance la Esmeralda
Dance!
Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for
Here it is, you know exactly what's in store
Now's the time we laugh until our sides get sore
Now's the time we crown the King of Fools!
So make a face that's horrible and frightening
Make a face as gruesome as a gargoyle's wing
For the face that's ugliest will be the King of Fools!
Why?
Crowd:
Topsy turvy!
Clopin:
Ugly folk, forget your shyness
Crowd:
Topsy turvy!
Clopin:
You could soon be called Your Highness!
Crowd:
Put your foulest features on display
Be the king of Topsy Turvy Day!
Clopin:
Ev'rybody!
Crowd:
Once a year we throw a party here in town
Clopin:
Hail to the king!
Crowd:
Once a year we turn all Paris upside down
Clopin:
Oh, what a king!
Crowd:
Once a year, the ugliest will wear a crown
Clopin:
Girls, give a kiss
Crowd:
Once a year on Topsy Turvy Day
Clopin:
We've never had a king like this
Clopin and Crowd:
And it's the day we do the things that we deplore
On the other three hundred and sixty-four
Once a year we love to drop in
Where the beer is never stoppin
For the chance to pop some popinjay
And pick a king who'll put the "top" in
Topsy Turvy Day!
Mad and crazy, upsy-daisy, Topsy Turvy Day!
Come one, come all!
Leave your loops and milking stools
Coop the hens and pen the mules
Come one, come all!
Close the churches and the schools
It's the day for breaking rules
Come and join the feast of ...
Clopin:
Fools!
Once a year we throw a party here in town
Once a year we turn all Paris upside down
Ev'ry man's a king and ev'ry king's a clown
Once again it's Topsy Turvy Day
It's the day the devil in us gets released
It's the day we mock the prig and shock the priest
Ev'rything is topsy turvy at the Feast of Fools!
Crowd:
Topsy turvy!
Clopin:
Ev'rything is upsy daysy!
Crowd:
Topsy turvy!
Clopin:
Ev'ryone is acting crazy
Dross is gold and weeds are a bouquet
That's the way on Topsy Turvy Day
All:
Topsy Turvy!
Clopin and Crowd:
Beat the drums and blow the trumpets
All:
Topsy Turvy!
Clopin and Crowd:
Join the bums and thieves and strumpets
Streaming in from Chartres to Calais
Clopin:
Scurvy knaves are extra scurvy
On the sixth of "Januervy"
Clopin and Crowd:
All because it's Topy Turvy Day!
Clopin:
Come one, come all!
Hurry, hurry, here's your chance
See the myst'ry and romance
Come one, come all
See the finest girl in France
Make an entrance to entrance
Dance la Esmeralda
Dance!
Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for
Here it is, you know exactly what's in store
Now's the time we laugh until our sides get sore
Now's the time we crown the King of Fools!
So make a face that's horrible and frightening
Make a face as gruesome as a gargoyle's wing
For the face that's ugliest will be the King of Fools!
Why?
Crowd:
Topsy turvy!
Clopin:
Ugly folk, forget your shyness
Crowd:
Topsy turvy!
Clopin:
You could soon be called Your Highness!
Crowd:
Put your foulest features on display
Be the king of Topsy Turvy Day!
Clopin:
Ev'rybody!
Crowd:
Once a year we throw a party here in town
Clopin:
Hail to the king!
Crowd:
Once a year we turn all Paris upside down
Clopin:
Oh, what a king!
Crowd:
Once a year, the ugliest will wear a crown
Clopin:
Girls, give a kiss
Crowd:
Once a year on Topsy Turvy Day
Clopin:
We've never had a king like this
Clopin and Crowd:
And it's the day we do the things that we deplore
On the other three hundred and sixty-four
Once a year we love to drop in
Where the beer is never stoppin
For the chance to pop some popinjay
And pick a king who'll put the "top" in
Topsy Turvy Day!
Mad and crazy, upsy-daisy, Topsy Turvy Day!
Lyrics submitted by justme3
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