Carousel
Pulling Birds Lyrics


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Come and sing pretend you're happy
Keep climbing ladders that lead to nothing
A backwards glance at a backwards mirror
It's hard enough for me

Drag you kicking, screaming, fare thee well
But we all fall down
On this red light, green light, carousel
Yes we all fall down

Falling, slipping, accidentally
Our leaky gas tank's running empty
We're spinning slower, let's just roll over
It's hard enough for you

Drag you kicking, screaming, fare thee well
But we all fall down
On this red light, green light, carousel
Yes we all fall down

You said you were sorry
But you shouldn't, couldn't, wouldn't count on this
You said you were sorry
But they'll keep on dragging you

kicking, screaming, fare thee well
But we all fall down




On this red light, green light, carousel
Yes we all fall down

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Pulling Birds' song Carousel seem to be about the cyclical nature of life and the struggles one faces while trying to achieve happiness and success. The first verse talks about pretending to be happy and constantly climbing ladders that lead to nothing, implying that sometimes we may be going through the motions even if they do not ultimately bring us fulfillment. The backwards glance at a backwards mirror suggests that sometimes we may be looking at ourselves from the wrong perspective or unable to see ourselves clearly. The chorus describes a carousel, a ride that goes in circles but never really moves forward, which symbolizes the lack of progress or growth in one's life. The line "drag you kicking, screaming, fare thee well" suggests that even though we may resist change, we all fall down eventually, meaning we all face setbacks and failures.


The second verse talks about the inevitability of mistakes and accidents, and the fact that sometimes we may be running on empty but continue to spin in circles anyway. The chorus repeats again, emphasizing the idea that we all fall down eventually. The last verse seems to be directed at someone who has apologized but will still be dragged down by the cycle of life regardless. The ending repeats the idea of falling down despite trying to resist.


Overall, the song seems to be reflecting on the human condition of struggling and falling down despite our efforts to move forward. It acknowledges the difficulties of life but also suggests that it is a universal experience and we are not alone in our struggles.


Line by Line Meaning

Come and sing pretend you're happy
Join in and pretend to be happy, even if you're not really feeling it.


Keep climbing ladders that lead to nothing
Continuously working hard towards goals that won't lead to any real success or fulfillment.


A backwards glance at a backwards mirror
Looking back on the past in a distorted, negative way.


It's hard enough for me
Dealing with these difficulties is already challenging for me.


Drag you kicking, screaming, fare thee well
Even if you resist or protest, you will eventually be forced to deal with the consequences of your actions.


But we all fall down
We are all susceptible to mistakes or failures.


On this red light, green light, carousel
Life can feel like a game with unpredictable and rapid changes, leading to confusion and uncertainty.


Falling, slipping, accidentally
Unintentionally experiencing setbacks or errors.


Our leaky gas tank's running empty
We are running out of fuel or energy, making it harder to keep going.


We're spinning slower, let's just roll over
Going slower due to burnout or exhaustion, so giving up seems like the only option.


It's hard enough for you
Dealing with challenges is difficult for everyone, including you.


You said you were sorry
Apologizing for your mistakes or errors.


But you shouldn't, couldn't, wouldn't count on this
You can't rely on apologies to always fix everything.


But they'll keep on dragging you
Others will continue to hold you accountable for your actions.


Yes we all fall down
We all make mistakes or experience failures at some point in our lives.




Contributed by Muhammad B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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