The Carnival Is Over
Dead Can Dance Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Outside
The storm clouds gathering,
Moved silently along the dusty boulevard.
Where flowers turning crane their fragile necks
So they can in turn
Reach up and kiss the sky.

They are driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye
Someone is calling.

I remember when you held my hand
In the park we would play when the circus came to town.
Look! Over here.

Outside
The circus gathering
Moved silently along the rainswept boulevard.
The procession moved on the shouting is over
The fabulous freaks are leaving town.

They are driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye.
The carnival is over

We sat and watched




As the moon rose again
For the very first time.

Overall Meaning

Dead Can Dance's song The Carnival Is Over speaks of the passing of time and the end of something dear. The opening lines suggest a scene of a storm brewing. The storm clouds represent the turmoil and the upheaval that accompanies the end of something. The dusty boulevard represents the forgotten street where the carnival is taking place. The flowers on the street turning their frail necks to look up at the sky represents the longing for something higher or better. The mention of a strange desire is a hint of the supernatural phenomenon that's causing the end. The line "Someone is calling" represents an unseen force that is causing the carnival to end.


The song then moves on to talk about a shared memory of a circus that was once held in the park. The repetition of the word 'play' represents the simplicity of the times when life was not so complex. However, the mention of the circus coming to town twice represents that good things have an end date.


As the song concludes, it comes back to the storm but this time, it’s raining. The mention of the 'moon rising again for the very first time' signifies a new beginning after the end of the carnival. The overall tone is melancholic, but it is a song of hope and the promise of new beginnings.


Line by Line Meaning

Outside
The scene is set outside, maybe at a street or a park.


The storm clouds gathering,
Dark clouds are coming together and forming a storm.


Moved silently along the dusty boulevard.
The clouds are moving without any sound, along a deserted street which is full of dust.


Where flowers turning crane their fragile necks
Flowers are bending their necks towards the sky, as if trying to reach it.


So they can in turn
This refers to the flowers' need to kiss the sky.


Reach up and kiss the sky.
The flowers are reaching out to the sky as if to kiss it.


They are driven by a strange desire
The flowers are moved by a strange, unknown longing or aspiration.


Unseen by the human eye
This desire or force is not visible to people.


Someone is calling.
An anonymous person is calling out to someone else, possibly the flowers.


I remember when you held my hand
This is a recollection of a simpler time when the person was physically close to someone else.


In the park we would play when the circus came to town.
The singer recalls a time when they used to play in the park while a local circus was taking place.


Look! Over here.
This could be someone calling to the artist in the present moment, or simply a nostalgic cry for attention.


Outside
The scene has shifted back outside, but now the rain is falling heavily.


The circus gathering
The circus has gathered in that same spot by the street.


Moved silently along the rainswept boulevard.
The circus moves quietly, even though the rain pours down upon them.


The procession moved on the shouting is over
The carnival has come to an end and the entire procession is leaving now.


The fabulous freaks are leaving town.
The performers are a mix of exotic and strange characters, who were part of the show. They are departing the scene as well.


They are driven by a strange desire
These characters have an inexplicable urge or drive to move on.


Unseen by the human eye.
This desire is not something that can be seen physically.


The carnival is over
The entire event has come to an end.


We sat and watched
The observer and the person they were close to before are now watching something together.


As the moon rose again
The moon has returned to the sky.


For the very first time.
The person is seeing the moon in a new way, as if they've never seen it before.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRENDAN MICHAEL PERRY, LISA GERMAINE GERRARD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@saltywisdom

Outside the storm clouds gathering
Moved silently along the dusty boulevard
Where flowers turning crane their fragile necks
So they can in turn reach up and kiss the sky

They are driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye
Someone's calling

I remember when you held my hand
In the park we would play
When the circus came to town
Look over here

Outside the circus gathering
Moved silently along the rain swept boulevard
The procession moves on the shouting is over
The fabulous freaks are leaving town

They are driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye
Someone's calling
The carnival is over

We sat and watched
As the moon rose
For the very first time



@carlotapuig

Outside the storm clouds gathering
Moved silently along the dusty boulevard
Where flowers turning crane their fragile necks
So they can in turn reach up and kiss the sky

They're driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye
Someone's calling

I remember when you held my hand
In the park we would play
When the circus came to town
Look over here

Outside the circus gathering
Moved silently along the rain swept boulevard
The procession moved on, the shouting is over
The fabulous freaks are leaving town

They're driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye
Someone's calling

The carnival is over

We sat and watched
As the moon rose
For the very first time



@dusilva932

Lá fora as nuvens de tempestade se reunindo
Movidas silenciosamente ao longo da avenida empoeirada
Onde as flores girando esticam seus pescoços
Então, elas podem, por sua vez, alcançar e beijar o céu

São movidas por um desejo estranho
Invisível ao olho humano
Alguém está chamando

Eu lembro quando você segurou minha mão
No parque iríamos brincar
Quando o circo veio para a cidade
Olha lá

A reunião do circo
Movido silenciosamente ao longo do bulevar varrido pela chuva
A procissão avançou, a gritaria acabou
As aberrações fabulosas estão deixando a cidade

São movidos por um desejo estranho
Invisível ao olho humano
Alguem está chamando

O carnaval acabou

Nós sentamos e assistimos
Enquanto a lua nascia
Pela primeira vez



All comments from YouTube:

@jillianperkins3207

This was my mother's funeral song. When she was alive, the first time she heard it she told my brothers and I that it was her funeral song. So we made sure she got her wish. Love you mum xx

@jaimesastre6393

Nice 🙏
I was thinking too for myself. It's an excellent choice I think.

@oscarchacon7543

so sorry jill, she wet with love and marvelous music vibes💞

@melangeazul286

R.I.P. Beautiful song. I had the privilege to see DCD live in the 90's

@darryltoups7315

I like the request.Peace.

@yccct54

🙁😢 sorry for your loss

15 More Replies...

@halschild1708

I edited this video. It's still my favorite project that I worked on.

@pslugworth

It's a tour de force! I admire the editing every time I watch this.

@gabbyhyman1246

Thank you. It's fantastic!!!!

@PawelChyrowski

Great work! I love this video clip. Amazing job!

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