Fairground Attraction were a Scottish acoustic pop group from Glasgow, best… Read Full Bio ↴Fairground Attraction were a Scottish acoustic pop group from Glasgow, best-known for the hit single "Perfect", and for helping to launch the career of its lead singer, Eddi Reader.

After the usual career-beginning playing in local clubs and pubs, in 1987 Fairground Attraction were signed to RCA, and released their first single, "Perfect", in April 1988. It was an immediate success, reaching number one on the UK singles chart. Their album The First of a Million Kisses was a characteristic blend of folk, jazz, country, and cajun elements (all but one of its songs being written by Mark Nevin). Released in May 1988, it followed the success of "Perfect" by entering the album chart at number three, and rising to number two; it was eventually certified platinum. Three other singles were released from the same album: "Find My Love" (which reached number seven on the UK chart), "A Smile in a Whisper", and "Clare".

At the 1989 Brit Awards "Perfect" won the award for best single, and The First of a Million Kisses won best album.

Although they were popular in European countries, and toured the United States, their main success outside the UK was in Japan, where they toured in 1989 (a tour that produced their only live album, Kawasaki Live in Japan 02.07.89).

In September 1989, however, during the recording of a second album, rumours of arguments circulated, and in January 1990 the rumours were confirmed when the band split up. The album Ay Fond Kiss was released in 1990, and one of its songs, "Walking after Midnight", became their last single.

Comedy Waltz
Fairground Attraction Lyrics

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want to hear a comedy waltz tonight
A couple of beers and a comedy waltz tonight
Small minded people at the place where I work
There's small minded people all over the world
So I want to hear a comedy waltz tonight

Tell me a joke that brings tears to my eyes
Please tell me a joke so that I can laugh till I cry

I've heard the news and it's always the same
Never any laughs, just trouble again
So tell me a joke that brings tears to my eyes

There's something I can't quite put my finger on
About a clockwork monkey beating a drum
But any time I have seen such a thing
There's something inside of me knows what it means

I want to learn how to dance, I want to spin

There's something I can't quite put my finger on
About a clockwork monkey beating a drum
But any time I have seen such a thing
There's something inside of me knows what it means

I want to hear a comedy waltz tonight

A couple of beers and a comedy waltz tonight
Yes, I want to hear a comedy waltz tonight

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Fairground Attraction's song "Comedy Waltz" tell the story of a person who is tired of encountering small-minded people at their workplace and in the world. They seek refuge in the form of a comedy waltz, which they hope will make them laugh until they cry. The lyrics also mention a clockwork monkey beating a drum, which the singer admits they cannot quite understand, but they feel that there is something significant about it.

Overall, the lyrics express a desire to escape the troubles of the world and find joy and humor in the simple things. They suggest that laughter is a powerful balm for the soul, even in the face of difficult circumstances.

Line by Line Meaning

want to hear a comedy waltz tonight
I am feeling low and need something to cheer me up, so I want to enjoy a humorous dance tonight.

A couple of beers and a comedy waltz tonight
I plan to have a few drinks and dance to some funny music tonight to lift my spirits up.

Small minded people at the place where I work
People at my workplace are narrow-minded and lack open-mindedness and sophistication.

There's small minded people all over the world
It is not just my workplace; in fact, there are small-minded people everywhere across the globe.

So I want to hear a comedy waltz tonight
I believe listening to humorous music tonight will help me forget about the close-minded people around me.

Tell me a joke that brings tears to my eyes
I want to hear a joke that is so funny that it makes me laugh so hard that tears come out of my eyes.

Please tell me a joke so that I can laugh till I cry
I request you to tell me a joke that is so hilarious that it makes me laugh uncontrollably until I cry.

I've heard the news and it's always the same
The news I have heard recently is repetitive and mundane, causing me to feel bored with the typical news cycle.

Never any laughs, just trouble again
The news is always negative, and there is never any chance for the news to be light-hearted or comical.

There's something I can't quite put my finger on
I sense something but cannot quite explain or identify what it is that I am feeling precisely.

About a clockwork monkey beating a drum
I am intrigued by the image of a mechanical monkey playing a percussion instrument, but I do not understand why it fascinates me so much.

But any time I have seen such a thing
Whenever I have come across something similar, I have felt inexplicably drawn to it without understanding why.

There's something inside of me knows what it means
Although I cannot explain why something attracts me, there is something within me that comprehends its significance.

I want to learn how to dance, I want to spin
I feel the urge to learn to dance and to twirl around in joy without any care in the world.

Yes, I want to hear a comedy waltz tonight
I am adamant about wanting to listen to funny music that will make me forget my worries for a while.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARK EDWARD CASCIAN NEVIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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