In 1998, following a falling-out of her professional and personal relationship with Tricky, Topley-Bird began pursuing a solo career; however, it was not until 2003 that she released her debut solo album, Quixotic, on Independiente Records. (Tricky appears on one track, Ragga, as producer and guest vocalist.) Upon its release, Quixotic received rave reviews from critics, and was a finalist for the 2003 Mercury Music Prize. Need One, Anything, I Still Feel and Soul Food were released as singles in the UK. In Brazil, the song Lullaby was used in the campaign for the juice powder Clight. The song Sandpaper Kisses is featured on the soundtrack of the video game Fahrenheit (known as Indigo Prophecy in the United States).
The album finally saw a release, of sorts, in the United States in July 2004 when the Palme Pictures label released a "re-designed and re-sequenced" version with a new title (Anything), a trimmed-down tracklisting and all-new cover art.
In 2004, Martina appeared on Into the Sun, a track from Diplo's album Florida. A year later, she made a guest appearance (alongside Roots Manuva) on the Gorillaz track All Alone, on the album Demon Days.
Martina released her second studio album, The Blue God, in May 2008, followed by a collaborative project with Massive Attack, the album "Heligoland" which was released in 2010. She also appeared on the Splitting the Atom EP featured on the track Psyche (Flash Treatment) (released October 2009).
In 2010, she released her third album, Some Place Simple, followed by a collaboration with Mark Lanegan and Warpaint in 2013.
Carnies
Martina Topley-Bird Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Folks try to stall as the kids get antsy
They sit there complaining there's nothing else to do
So we pick up our coats and go down to the fair
Who knows what we'll find when we get there?
Eyes will be streaming, faces split in two
Carnies have come to town
Lately where have you gone?
I've been waiting for so long
When will you come back?
Say what you want life's too good to be true
Jump-start me after I'm thru the sun-roof
Soon I'll be home but I don't know if you will too
In Martina Topley-Bird's song "Carnies," the lyrics describe a scene of a group of people at a fair or carnival. The first two lines of the verse set the stage with colorful imagery, "Ferris Wheels and Cotton Candy." However, the rest of the verse describes how people at the fair are not content with just those things. The kids are getting antsy and people are complaining that there is nothing else to do. This sense of restlessness and dissatisfaction is a recurring theme throughout the song.
The chorus mentions the "Carnies" coming to town. This is likely a reference to carnival workers or performers, who are coming to offer their entertainment and spectacle. The lyrics ask if the listener will stick around for them. This again hints at a sense of transience and impermanence, that people come and go like the carnival itself. The last line of the chorus is a plea, "Lately where have you gone?" indicating that the singer misses the person they are addressing and hopes they will stay around longer this time.
The second verse contains more vivid imagery, with "Eyes will be streaming, faces split in two." These descriptions paint a picture of people enjoying the carnival attractions, but still not feeling fulfilled. The final lines of the song are a bit cryptic, but perhaps suggest a sense of uncertainty in the future. The singer asks when the person they are addressing will come back, and says that they will soon be home, but they don't know if the other person will be there too. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for a relationship or simply a sense of longing for someone who is always leaving.
Line by Line Meaning
Ferris Wheels and Cotton Candy
Amusement park rides and sweets to enjoy
Folks try to stall as the kids get antsy
Adults delaying their trip to the amusement park while kids get restless
They sit there complaining there's nothing else to do
People grumbling about a lack of entertainment options
So we pick up our coats and go down to the fair
Leaving the unhappy complainers behind to go to the carnival
Who knows what we'll find when we get there?
Excitement and mystery concerning what activities the carnival holds
Eyes will be streaming, faces split in two
The intensity of enjoyment on their faces will show in their expressions
Carnies have come to town
Carnival workers have arrived
If they stay will you hang around?
Asking if the listener will stay at the carnival if it continues to operate
Lately where have you gone?
Asking where the listener has been recently
I've been waiting for so long
The singer has been anticipating reuniting with the listener
When will you come back?
Asking when the listener will return
Say what you want life's too good to be true
Acknowledging that life can be amazing, but it's easy to doubt its reality
Jump-start me after I'm thru the sun-roof
The singer is asking the listener to help them feel alive and refreshed
Soon I'll be home but I don't know if you will too
The singer will be returning home, but isn't sure if the listener will be there as well
Contributed by Elena R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@inifumi
Ferris Wheels and Cotton Candy
Folks try to stall as the kids get antsy
They sit there complaining there's nothing else to do
So we pick up our coats and go down to the fair
Who knows what we'll find when we get there?
Eyes will be streaming, faces split in two
Carnies have come to town
If they stay will you hang around?
Lately where have you gone?
I've been waiting for so long
When will you come back?
Say what you want life's too good to be true
Jump start me after I'm through the sunroof
Soon I'll be home but I don't know if you will too
@Twiglet09
Love this song...her voice is fab.
@chemiah
The most beautiful music, most beautiful voice, and a most beautiful woman
@emcmw
martina is like a musical angel everytime i hear her voice it makes me feel great about my life that its not so bad. i wish she could perform in a small old school club and i would have the table right up front to see those eyes those eyes those eyes MY GOD BLESS HER SOME MORE!!!!
@emcmw
Amazing talent,undeniable beauty from an original artist who I fell in love with on Tricky's first record. How Martina doesn't get more exposure blows my mind...
@andrehendrik
Great song, great album -- very underrated
@NalaAmari
Yeah she's really talented. I love her voice, it's unique.
@QuartzLondon
Both her albums are ones to buy, very good.
@Pirate7X
This song & THE BLUE GOD album are excellent. One of the best in years.
@jtarantula3390
I CANT STOP LISTENING TO THIS, LOVE LOVE LOVE
@RockMusic1994
I love her music ;) She's great