After Take That split, Owen became the third of the band's ex-members to release a solo record. He reached number three in the UK Singles Chart with his debut single, Child. His second single, Clementine, also went to number three. In 1997 his album Green Man was released, charting at a number 33. After another single, I Am What I Am, charted at number 29, Owen was dropped by BMG Records in late 1997.
In 2002 Mark won the second series of Celebrity Big Brother. After being invited to perform on stage with Robbie Williams at Knebworth, he returned to the spotlight and signed a deal with Island/Universal Records. In August 2003, Owen returned to the charts with the Top 5 hit, Four Minute Warning, which remained in the Top 40 for eight weeks. His second album, In Your Own Time, was released in November 2003, entering the charts at number 59. After a second single, Alone Without You, charted at number 26, Owen was dropped by Island/Universal Records.
In April 2004 he established his own record company, Sedna Records. He released his third solo album, How the Mighty Fall in 2005, which was recorded at Sunset Studios, Los Angeles in 2004. In February 2006 he released Hail Mary as a single from the album.
In 2005 Mark rejoined the newly reformed Take That and has been enjoying chart success with them ever since. He still plans, however, to continue working on solo projects.
Carnival
Mark Owen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And everything that I'm supposed to be
Feels like I've fallen from grace
And into a place where I belong
I know my body's getting old
One day we will fall down
But in my heart a drum is beating
Before they turn the music off
Before they tell us to go home again
Can I kiss your face
And tell you always I love you
Before we change our minds
Can we go dancing somewhere
'Cause in my heart a drum is beating
A carnival inside my head
And when we talk in so many words
We've got to live this life a bit harder
And when we think in so many words
We've got to bring each other together
We've got to bring each other together
Before we wake up all alone
Before the rhythm has to start again
Can I watch you climb?
Climb over the widths of history
You keep your medals in the drawer
I wonder who they're for
Can we go dancing on the water?
A carnival inside my head
And when we talk in so many words
We've got to live this life a bit harder
And when we think in so many words
We've got to bring each other together
We've got to bring each other together
We've got to bring each other together
We've got to bring each other together
We've got to bring each other together
We've got to bring each other together
Together, together
Together, ooo
Together, together
Together, ooo
There's a drum that's beating in my heart
And inside my head, there is a carnival
There's a drum that's beating in my heart
And inside my head, there is a carnival
And inside my head, there is a carnival
Together, together
Together, ooo
Together, together
Together, ooo
The lyrics of Mark Owen's "Carnival" are an introspective expression of a middle-aged man reflecting on his life and wondering if he's lost his way. He asks if he's a loser or a fool and feels like he's fallen from grace, but at the same time, he acknowledges that there's a carnival inside his head, a beating drum that won't let him forget to live life to the fullest. Owen is aware of his mortality, acknowledging that his body is getting old, and sooner or later, he'll fall down. The song is about seizing the moment, taking the opportunity to do what you love before it's too late.
The repeated refrain of "together" emphasizes the need for connection and community. The song stresses that we need to bring each other together, to live harder, to love harder, and to dance before we wake up all alone. The importance of connecting with others and enjoying life before it's too late is a theme that runs throughout the song.
In summary, "Carnival" is a song about living life to the fullest, embracing the moment and connecting with others, even if you feel like you've fallen from grace. The repeated refrain of "together" emphasizes the importance of community, and the drumbeat inside Owen's head serves as a reminder to seize the day and enjoy life.
Line by Line Meaning
Am I loser or a fool?
I am questioning myself whether I am unsuccessful or foolish.
And everything that I'm supposed to be
I'm feeling pressured to conform to the expectations of society.
Feels like I've fallen from grace
I feel like I've lost respect or admiration from others.
And into a place where I belong
But I've found a place where I can be myself without any fears of judgement.
I know my body's getting old
I'm aware that my physical condition is deteriorating over time.
One day we will fall down
Eventually, we will all experience the inevitable end of our lives.
But in my heart a drum is beating
Despite all of this negativity, I feel a strong, passionate beat in my heart.
A carnival inside my head
This beat gives rise to a carnival of excitement and joy inside my head.
Before they turn the music off
I want to experience this joy before it disappears.
Before they tell us to go home again
Before we're forced to return to the mundane and ordinary.
Can I kiss your face
Can I express my affection for you in a physical way.
And tell you always I love you
And communicate that my love for you is a constant in my life.
Before we change our minds
Before any doubt, hesitation or change of heart arises.
Can we go dancing somewhere
Let's make a memory and enjoy the moment through dancing together.
'Cause in my heart a drum is beating
The beat in my heart is the rhythm that moves me to embrace the moment.
And when we talk in so many words
When words are our main form of communication.
We've got to live this life a bit harder
We should live our lives with more effort and energy.
And when we think in so many words
When our thoughts get wrapped up in being too analytical.
We've got to bring each other together
We need to bridge differences and support one another.
Before we wake up all alone
Before we realize we are alone in this world.
Before the rhythm has to start again
Before we are forced back into the daily routine.
Can I watch you climb?
Can I watch you ascend and achieve your dreams.
Climb over the widths of history
Overcome the vastness of time and space, and leave your mark on the world.
You keep your medals in the drawer
You keep your achievements stored away and unacknowledged.
I wonder who they're for
I'm curious about who or what motivated you to achieve such medals.
Can we go dancing on the water?
Can we create a magical and serene moment in our lives through dance?
Together, together
The word 'together' is repeated over and over.
There's a drum that's beating in my heart
The beat in my heart burns incessantly.
And inside my head, there is a carnival
Inside my thoughts, there is a lively and colorful carnival.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARK ANTHONY OWEN, JAMIE NORTON, BENJAMIN MARK WEAVER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Lozzycolferxxx
Am I loser or a fool?
And everything that I'm supposed to be
Feels like I've fallen from grace
And into a place where I belong
I know my body's getting old
One day we will fall down
But in my heart a drum is beating
A carnival inside my head
Before they turn the music off
Before they tell us to go home again
Can I kiss your face
And tell you always I love you
Before we change our minds
Can we go dancing somewhere
'Cause in my heart a drum is beating
A carnival inside my head
And when we talk in so many words
We've got to live this life a bit harder
And when we think in so many words
We've got to bring each other together
We've got to bring each other together
Before we wake up all alone
Before the rhythm has to start again
Can I watch you climb?
Climb over the widths of history
You keep your medals in the drawer
I wonder who they're for
Can we go dancing on the water?
A carnival inside my head
And when we talk in so many words
We've got to live this life a bit harder
And when we think in so many words
We've got to bring each other together
We've got to bring each other together
We've got to bring each other together
We've got to bring each other together
We've got to bring each other together
We've got to bring each other together
Together, together
Together, ooo
Together, together
Together, ooo
There's a drum that's beating in my heart
And inside my head, there is a carnival
There's a drum that's beating in my heart
And inside my head, there is a carnival
And inside my head, there is a carnival
Together, together
Together, ooo
Together, together
Together, ooo
@Willlll1m
Mark Owen is criminally underrated as a solo artist
@66winchester666
This song should have more recognition.
@gazx9058
no
@Riviere8281
Mark is underrated, all his albums are amazing!! is sad that people always want conventional voices and music..
@markowen207
Hello, how are you doing? It is nice seeing you here.
@agi.kormos
Agree✌
@hasnan6463
To be honest...this is the best dance video I've ever seen in a long time. Mr Owen is doing it brilliantly & flawlessly...
@fedea.14
Mark Owen - The Art Of Doing Nothing is such an amazing album. Great sounds, music, lyrics. Mark is so great, such a talented gentleman... There's no words to describe how amazing his work is.. And Carnival video is just something that inspires freedom when you watch it. Seeing Mark dancing is liberating... Can't stop watching it! So c'mon thatters let's get this piece of Art to 1 million views!!!!! xxx
@robmarkiegazTT
Mark's voice is SO heavenly i could literally listen to his voice all day every day! He's so underrated! More people should listen to his solo songs or lead songs in Take That! You wont regret it!
@tuttimatutti
Totally agree!!! Mark is amazing!