Although much of DiFranco's material is autobiographical, it is often also strongly political. Many of her songs are concerned with contemporary social issues such as racism, sexism, sexual abuse, homophobia, reproductive rights, poverty, and war. DiFranco's guitar playing is often characterized by a signature staccato style, rapid finger picking and many alternate tunings. She delivers many of her lines in a speaking style notable for its rhythmic variation. Her lyrics, which often include alliteration, metaphor, word play and a more-or-less gentle irony, have also received praise for their sophistication. She has released 19 solo albums (not including collaborative albums or live albums), all of which were released on her own independent record label, Righteous Babe Records (which she formed in 1989 at the age of 19).
DiFranco has been a critical success for much of her career, though not a commercial one by major label standards, with a career album average of 72 on Metacritic. Living in Clip, DiFranco's 1998 double live album, is the only one to achieve gold record status to date. DiFranco has been praised by the Buffalo News as the "Buffalo's leading lady of rock music".
Freakshow
Ani DiFranco Lyrics
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But the folks on the outside don't know
The tent goes up and the tent comes down
And all that they see is the show
And the ladies on the horses look so pretty
And the lions are lookin' real mad
And some of the clowns are happy
And some of the clowns are sad
But underneath
There's another expression
That the makeup isn't making
Life under the big top
It's about freedom
It's about faking
There's an art to the laughter
There's a science
And there's a lot of love and compliance
Welcome to the freak show
Here we go
We live to hear the slak-jawed gasping
We live under a halo of held breath
And when the children raise up a giant shield
Of laughter, it's like they're fending off death
And we can make something bigger
Than any one of us alone
And then the clowns will take off their makeup
And the people will go home
But life on the outside ain't easy
No sequins, no elephants
No parading around
Oh the circus comes
And the circus goes
And they're stuck in this fucking town
You need a lot of love and compliance
Welcome to the freak show
Here we go
Ani DiFranco's song "Freakshow" speaks about life in the circus from the perspective of the performers. The lyrics commence by drawing attention to the fact that while outsiders may find the spectacle of the circus fascinating, life in the circus is far from easy. The performers may appear happy and content on the outside, but underneath, there may be different emotions that are not visible. The existence under the big top is full of freedom, but at the same time, there is a lot of pretense to it. The performers must put on a brave face and engage in an art of laughter that is both scientific and emotional. Nonetheless, beneath the surface, some tension may exist and be hard to hide.
The chorus of "Freakshow" welcomes the audience to the actual freak show, revealing the degree to which the circus's performers feel like outcasts. They live for the gasps and applause of those who come to see them, and every night, they put on a display that engenders delight, arousing laughter that acts as a shield against death. The performers do not perform alone, but collectively they are far more than the sum of their parts, expressing themselves as one. There is an understanding that when the performers remove their makeup, the audience will go home and the performers will remain to endure the challenges of life on the outside, where there are no elephants, no sequins, and no fascinations.
Line by Line Meaning
Life in the circus ain't easy
Living in the circus is difficult
But the folks on the outside don't know
People who are not in the circus do not understand
The tent goes up and the tent comes down
The circus is temporary
And all that they see is the show
The audience only sees what is presented to them
And the ladies on the horses look so pretty
The performers put on a show with their costumes and makeup
And the lions are lookin' real mad
Some of the animals may be unhappy and stressed
And some of the clowns are happy
Some performers are content with their job
And some of the clowns are sad
Others are not happy performing
But underneath
Beneath the surface
There's another expression
Their true feelings
That the makeup isn't making
Their costumes and makeup cannot hide everything
Life under the big top
Living in the circus
It's about freedom
Performing in the circus represents freedom for some
It's about faking
But it also involves pretending for the sake of the show
There's an art to the laughter
Creating humor is a skill
There's a science
There is also a science behind performing
And there's a lot of love and compliance
Performers need to love what they do and be willing to cooperate
Welcome to the freak show
The circus is often considered a strange and unusual world
Here we go
Get ready to see the show
We live to hear the slak-jawed gasping
Performers enjoy the audience's reactions
We live under a halo of held breath
There is often a feeling of tension in the air
And when the children raise up a giant shield
When children laugh, it's as if they are protecting themselves from negative emotions
Of laughter, it's like they're fending off death
Laughter can be a source of joy and relief
And we can make something bigger
Together, we can create something grand and amazing
Than any one of us alone
None of us could do it by ourselves
And then the clowns will take off their makeup
After the show, performers become themselves again
And the people will go home
The audience leaves and life goes on
But life on the outside ain't easy
Life away from the circus is also challenging
No sequins, no elephants
There are no fancy costumes or exotic animals
No parading around
There is no grand spectacle to watch
Oh the circus comes
The circus only comes around on occasion
And the circus goes
And then it leaves
And they're stuck in this fucking town
People are trapped in their mundane lives
You need a lot of love and compliance
To succeed in any job, you must have passion and be willing to work together
Welcome to the freak show
The circus is a unique and interesting experience
Here we go
Enjoy the ride
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MANUEL REUTER, CYRUS SADEGHI WAFA, YANN PEIFER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind