Merry-go-round
Paul Chesne Lyrics
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Don't know where I'd be without home,
What I'd be without that washed up town
Maybe I'd be safer than sound
Maybe stuck up on the merry-go-round
Don't know where I'd be without home
Maybe I'd be drowned,
You can look up in the lost and found
Your good fortunes run out
If you're lucky I'll swing around
Round the marry-go-round
Da da da da da da da
Don't know where I'd be without Joan
What I'd be without that young girl's help
Maybe I'd be stoned, Maybe sleepin' in a halfway house
Don't know where I'd be without Joan
That little lady done helped me out
You gotta pick up the phone
That little gadget goes both ways pal
Your good fortunes run slim
That young woman might take you in
When you should have been out
Your good fortunes they run out
In the middle of a drought
If you're lucky I'll swing around
Round the merry-go-round
Da da da da da da da
The song "Merry-Go-Round" by Paul Chesne is an ode to home and the support system that keeps us grounded. The first few lines acknowledge the importance of home, the place that grounds us and offers us a sense of belonging. Chesne admits that without home, perhaps he would be lost and stuck on a merry-go-round, a metaphor for the aimless and cyclical nature of life when we lack a sense of direction. He goes on to ponder what would happen if he were in the "middle of a drought," suggesting that without home, he would not have the resources to thrive and flourish. The lost and found comes up as a possible option, highlighting the desperation that comes with feeling lost in the world.
The song then shifts focus to a person named Joan, who has clearly made an impact on Chesne's life. He acknowledges that without her help, he may have been sleeping in a halfway house or would have been stoned. Joan is depicted as a source of support, someone who has his back and whom he can count on to pick up the phone as needed. The second half of the song echoes the first in its use of the merry-go-round metaphor. Chesne suggests that our good fortunes can run out, leaving us feeling lost and adrift. However, if we are lucky, we might swing back around, suggesting that life is cyclical and that we will have ups and downs.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't know where I'd be without home,
I can't imagine what my life would be like without my hometown.
What I'd be without that washed-up town
Without this unremarkable place, I wouldn't be who I am today.
Maybe I'd be safer than sound
Perhaps I'd be better off, but there's no way to know for sure.
Maybe stuck up on the merry-go-round
Instead, I am here in this repetitive cycle of uncertainty that isn't necessarily fulfilling.
Don't know where I'd be without Joan
I am not sure where I would be without the help of this young woman named Joan.
What I'd be without that young girl's help
I wouldn't have made it this far without her assistance and kindness.
Maybe I'd be stoned, Maybe sleepin' in a halfway house
I could have ended up in a dark place, struggling with addiction or homelessness, without her intervention.
Your good fortunes run out
Even if things are going well for you, they won't last forever.
If you're lucky I'll swing around
Perhaps I'll be able to come back and help you out in return.
Round the merry-go-round
But for now, we are still stuck in this same cycle of repeating patterns and events.
Contributed by London N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.