Carnival

Our Lady Peace

You know you're not a strong man
And you're just about to cry
Hang on, hang on
It's alright, it's alright

You worry about the future
The sign said, "yoga class for cats"
It's okay, it's okay
It's no fun

You're frustrated by the cracks
In the pavement
And every mother's back
Once again
The carnival closed down
But if this world would ever turn around

And the dynamite is waiting
'Cause they bankrupted the sky
It's okay, it's okay
It's no fun

You're frustrated by the cracks
In the pavement
And every mother's back
Once again
The carnival closed down
But if this world would ever turn around

Break your mother's back
If you step on the cracks
And everybody knows

You're frustrated by the cracks
In the pavement
And every mother's back
Once again
The carnival closed down
But if this world would ever turn around

You'll be there when everyone is sane
You'll be there when everyone is sane
You'll be there when everyone is sane
You'll be there when everyone is sane
You'll be there

The carnival closed down


Lyrics submitted by dsfire, edited by Logicalrust

Carnival Lyrics as written by Jeremy Taggart Arnold Lanni

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Carnival song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

23 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +4
    General Comment"Hey, you all remember that game where you're, you're like 8 years old or 9 years old? You'd be walking home from 4th grade, remember 4th grade? Remember your 4th grade teacher? Mine was Ms. Bealak, she was a real bitch. Remember 4th grade and you're walking home right? All of a sudden you're jumping, like this, right? You're avoiding the cracks, you're not steppin' on the cracks because, remember that game? Don't step on the cracks, don't break you're mother's back. Well we're playing in Denver, it's hot as shit and we're all exausted by the heat and all, Mike and I are walking right, and we start hopping over the cracks like a bunch of idiots, hold on, you don't understand. In my crazy head I start thinking about this silly kids' game, it's supposed to be this silly kids game where you hop over the cracks, you don't break your mother's back, I'm thinking; you know what this isn't a game, this is like preparation for being an adult, or being like a teenager, and what happens, hold on, those cracks become the math exam you failed, or the girlfriend or boyfriend, and now you're having a baby, they're pregnant, or the day your parents sit you down and tell you that they're getting a divorce. Those are the cracks that you have to hop over, you guys get that? This is what I'm thinking, and you're mother's back becomes your back. And no shit that it is to hard to take and sometimes you're gonna break right? Well this next song is about those days when you feel like you're surrounded by the cracks, they're all around you, It's called 'carnival'." Raine Maida
    onceagainon August 13, 2002   Link
  • +2
    General Commentabout the "yoga class for cats" thing...i read somewhere that the lead singer actually saw a sign in Ohio or somewhere that said that.. he thought it was weird so he put it in a song :-P
    jflory81on May 09, 2002   Link
  • +2
    General CommentWhenever life gets you down, pointless things frustrate you. Like cracks in the pavement. They mean nothing to you, but you still get annoying and angry at them. That's what it means to me after listening to it again.

    The line "The carnival comes back" I take symbolically. Raine is saying that no matter how bad life looks, good things will come again. You get sad when the carnival leaves, when you get thrown a curveball in the game of life, but the carnival comes back, it always does.

    "You know you're not a strong man". You aren't strong enough to take the things you are going through. Recently I went through some tough times and the first verse is almost like Raine is speaking to me personally.

    Its a good song, really good.
    Silvason June 05, 2002   Link
  • +2
    General CommentThis song is so powerful.
    The song starts with this carnival style music at it's slow pace, but it adds to the overall effect of the whole song. ... When the chorus' crashing beat is added, the whole song is changed from how you perceive the song to be based from the introduction.
    I used to always listen to this song when my days were not exactly depressing, but rough on the edges, the dull days where things would and wouldn't go the way I wished.
    I just feel so much more stronger and not alone.
    wishful_thinkingon December 22, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI'm a HUGE OLP fan... huge... but if I had to pick one song to lsiten to over and over this would probably be the one. It has the soft side, the hard side, great melody and powerful lyrics. God Bless our lady peace.
    RJon May 25, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General CommentPerhaps the 'yoga class for cats' reference is literal; in fact, I heard the same story. However, it could also signify all those things in society that make you wonder where we're headed as a people. Have you seen a sign or a TV ad that made you think about just how pathetic people would have to be to buy into it?

    The reference to dynamite and bankrupting the sky could mean the inefficient and irresponsible handling of earth's resources, and how some don't seem to care what happens to them.

    All these little things add up to make you seriously question the sanity of society. Despite this, you keep living your life amongst an insane people... if they ever 'turn around', you'll be right there.
    Jay_Dubyaon August 20, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI feel this song is about how people have many insecurites in life. And that people do not always measure up to there expectations. The song expresses to the listener a meaning that life can be very depressing and they can eithier choose to live it or ignore it..

    You're frustrated by the cracks,
    in the pavement,
    and every mother's back
    once again

    I get from this part that a person failed at something, and in sense ruined the expectations of their mother or father.. But in a sense the mother, because she carried the person over in her womb....

    But at the beggining of the song it says,

    You know you're not a strong man
    and you're just about to cry...

    I get from this part that sometimes bad things happen, and we are not always strong enough to face it... So maybe 'we fall through the cracks' and we sometimes feel like grieving. But we take life like a man and continue the journey.

    you can add your own take on it... Overall though, I think it is a classic Our Lady peace song.
    depoton December 02, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI think this song is about the everyday problems in life driving you insane. The stressors in life are as numerous as cracks in the pavement and you can go mad trying to avoid them. I have no idea what the hell "yoga class for cats" means, though.
    egoat711on December 12, 2001   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti agree that the song is about the everyday stresses of life. i think the "yoga class for cats" thing could be like an example of the frustrations we deal with everyday. wouldn't you be confused if you saw a sign that said that?
    muahahaon May 19, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Commentthe "yoga class for cats" thing... my friend jon and i had a theory that it's really... "yoga class forcasts" but without the 'c'... it made a lot of sense at the time. something about the "you worry about the future" line... let me think about why and i'll get back to you.
    youwantedaheroon May 25, 2002   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top