The Circus
Firewater Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I remember a jet slowly scraping
Low and heavy across a sky of slate
I remember the angle of your elbow
As it doubled back
In the crack of fists across a face
I remember the suck of boots in mud
Guttural, sexual, in those clandestine woods
Down at the river's edge
Below the concrete bed
The smell of lilac in your hair
Where the stinging nettles grow
The the lonely rushes blow
I left you in a culvert there

Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Buildings and dreams dissolve into rust
Now all the flowers are turning brown
'Cause the circus is coming to town
'Cause the circus is coming to town

I remember dying to cry out
But throat-stuck with briars and stones
As your ruddy lips grew much ruddier

Step you lightly now
We must keep our voices down
The dogs of remorse
Follow close on the wind

Take your face off, don't be shy
They can't hunt you with their eyes
But surely they know the scent of sin

Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Buildings and dreams dissolve into rust
Now all the flowers are turning brown
'Cause the circus is coming to town
'Cause the circus is coming to town

I remember falling, falling back
Into that tangled bed: a mesh of twigs
Deflowered like a virgin bride
In the ground swell of spring

Underneath that deciduous canopy
Propped up with jagged scaffolding




Is that a train or thunder coming?
Is that a train or thunder?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Firewater feat. Jennifer Charles's song "The Circus" are filled with vivid imagery that paints a picture of intense emotions, violence, and the eventual decay of life. The song opens with a memory of a jet flying low across a dark gray sky, setting an ominous tone that is carried throughout. The second line describes the singer's memory of witnessing violence, with an elbow doubling back in a fight. The description of boots sucking in mud adds a physicality that makes the memory feel real, while the use of the word "guttural" adds a layer of sensuality that is both unexpected and unsettling.


The next section of lyrics transports us to a river's edge, where the singer has left someone in a culvert. The description of the surroundings is poetic but haunting, with the smell of lilacs and lonely rushes blowing. The chorus brings a sense of finality, with the repeated line "ashes to ashes and dust to dust," a nod to the inevitability of death and decay. The arrival of the circus is used as a metaphor for the passage of time and the crumbling of societal institutions.


The third verse brings a sense of desperation, with the singer wanting to cry out but unable to due to physical obstacles. The line "step you lightly now, we must keep our voices down" reinforces the sense of secrecy and danger that runs throughout the song. The final line, asking whether a sound is a train or thunder, feels like a moment of uncertainty and fear, as though something ominous is approaching.


Line by Line Meaning

I remember a jet slowly scraping
I recall a jet moving slowly and noisily


Low and heavy across a sky of slate
It was moving across a dull gray sky, making a deep and dull sound


I remember the angle of your elbow
I recall how your elbow was positioned


As it doubled back
As it moved backwards


In the crack of fists across a face
The sound of fists hitting a face


I remember the suck of boots in mud
I remember hearing the sound of boots sinking into muddy ground


Guttural, sexual, in those clandestine woods
The sounds were deep and related to sex, coming from hidden and secret woods


Down at the river's edge
At the edge of the river


Below the concrete bed
Underneath the concrete structure above us


The smell of lilac in your hair
I noticed the scent of lilac in your hair


Where the stinging nettles grow
In the area where stinging nettles were found


The lonely rushes blow
The reeds were swaying alone in the wind


I left you in a culvert there
I abandoned you in a narrow tunnel under the ground


Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
We all die and return to the earth


Buildings and dreams dissolve into rust
Our aspirations and creations eventually disintegrate


Now all the flowers are turning brown
All the pretty things are fading away


'Cause the circus is coming to town
The chaos and drama is on its way


I remember dying to cry out
I wanted to scream but couldn't


But throat-stuck with briars and stones
My throat felt as if it were obstructed with thorns and rocks


As your ruddy lips grew much ruddier
Your lips became redder as blood flowed out of them


Step you lightly now
Walk carefully and quietly


We must keep our voices down
We must remain silent


The dogs of remorse
The feelings of guilt and regret


Follow close on the wind
The sense of remorse is always present


Take your face off, don't be shy
Remove your mask and stop pretending


They can't hunt you with their eyes
No one can see the real you


But surely they know the scent of sin
People can sense immorality


I remember falling, falling back
I recall falling backwards


Into that tangled bed: a mesh of twigs
Falling into a bed made of interwoven branches


Deflowered like a virgin bride
Lost innocence, like a young bride losing her virginity


In the ground swell of spring
During spring season, amidst the growing plants


Underneath that deciduous canopy
Beneath the leaves of a tree that sheds its leaves


Propped up with jagged scaffolding
Held up by uneven and sharp structures


Is that a train or thunder coming?
Do I hear the sound of a train or a storm approaching?


Is that a train or thunder?
What did I hear: a train or a storm?




Lyrics © Freibank Musikverlags und vermarktungs GmbH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

Slink Richard

so beautiful

SAPICHOR

awesome

Jacob Easton

So did she ok I just want to know if she became consensual at some point like I'm sorry I shouldn't ask... I'd say if she's singing about it then she'll never forget it (in a good way?)

videovedo

Well, I can't find in the lyrics any hint of consent from the girl. The singing about being raped and killed - to which nobody would ever consent - might be the trace of a soul forever scarred and lingering about in the places of trauma. The only thing we could, as a risky interpretation, infer from the song might be that she went to the woods willingly, maybe to meet her killer, but without knowing it would be the end for her, for sure.

More Versions