The Carnival Is Over
The Seekers Lyrics


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Say goodbye my own true lover
As we sing a lovers song
How it breaks my heart to leave you
Now the carnival is gone

High above the dawn is waiting
And my tears are falling rain
For the carnival is over
We may never meet again

Like a drum my heart was beating
And your kiss was sweet as wine
But the joys of love are fleeting
For Pierrot and Columbine

Now the harbor light is calling
This will be our last goodbye
Though the carnival is over
I will love you till I die

Like a drum my heart was beating
And your kiss was sweet as wine
But the joys of love are fleeting
For Pierrot and Columbine

Now the harbour light is calling
This will be our last goodbye
Though the carnival is over
I will love you till I die




Though the carnival is over
I will love you till I die

Overall Meaning

"The Carnival Is Over" by The Seekers is a wistful and mournful ballad about the end of love and the transient nature of joy. The song tells the story of two lovers who must part ways after the carnival, a metaphor for the fleeting pleasures of life, has come to an end. The lyrics are filled with images of sadness and loss, such as the lover's tears falling like rain and the "last goodbye" at the harbor light. Even though their love has ended, the singer promises to love their partner until they die.


The use of the carnival as a metaphor is particularly effective in this song, as carnivals are associated with joy and frivolity but are ultimately fleeting and impermanent. The use of the Pierrot and Columbine characters, who are traditional figures in commedia dell'arte and often symbolize unrequited love, further emphasizes the fragility and transience of love. The repeated line "like a drum my heart was beating" adds to the emotional intensity of the song, while the simple and repetitive melody reinforces the sense of sadness and finality.


Overall, "The Carnival Is Over" is a powerful and poignant song that captures the bittersweet nature of love and the inevitability of change and loss.


Line by Line Meaning

Say goodbye my own true lover
I must part ways with you, my true love.


As we sing a lovers song
We sing a song of love, as two lovers who must soon part.


How it breaks my heart to leave you
My heart is heavy with sorrow at the thought of leaving you.


Now the carnival is gone
The carnival, a symbol of joy and celebration, has come to an end.


High above the dawn is waiting
The new day, represented by the rising sun, is waiting high above us.


And my tears are falling rain
My tears fall like raindrops, a symbol of sadness and loss.


For the carnival is over
The carnival has ended, and with it the happiness and excitement it brought.


We may never meet again
This goodbye may be our last, and we may never see each other again.


Like a drum my heart was beating
My heart was beating with the rhythm of a drum, representing the excitement and passion of our love.


And your kiss was sweet as wine
Your kiss was as sweet and intoxicating as wine, a symbol of pleasure and happiness.


But the joys of love are fleeting
The happiness and pleasure of love are temporary and short-lived.


For Pierrot and Columbine
Like the famous tragic lovers of the Commedia dell'arte, our love may be doomed to suffer a similar fate.


Now the harbor light is calling
The light of the harbor, symbolizing the end of our journey together, is beckoning us.


This will be our last goodbye
This farewell will be our final one.


Though the carnival is over
Even though the carnival is over and our time together is ending,


I will love you till I die
I will continue to love you deeply, until the end of my days.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Frank Farian, Tom Springfield

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@konsemitekolos2267

RIP Judith. The Carnival may be over but your singing will remain forever in our memories

@drhkleinert8241

The songs of the seekers and her singing is over 50 yrs old but there are still many people who hear and loves both. Can we say this from the modern "singers", too, in 50 yrs...? I dont think so. Thats a real and eternal legacy these band and Judith gave us.

@julieswan1442

@@drhkleinert8241 I have an 8 year old grandson who loves and sings along to I am Australian…it’s his favourite song

@ajayjackson7727

she was an amazing singer 💗 she really was

@gtaylor-thomas7112

I wrote my tribute before reading yours. We have written exactly the same.

@xr6lad

RIP Judith. The Carnival is Over. I’m so upset. Met you at the park near us with Bruce Woodley(a friend of ours) whiles Bruce’s and our dogs played. Lovely lady and a voice that never changed.

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@agnostic47

Rip Judith Durham. One of the most beautiful and distinctive voices ever, people are always peeling onions near me when I hear this song.

@jonathanmuller5328

Brilliant comment👍😍

@jonathanmuller5328

Yes!

@tonyshirley9116

The carnival is over and the harbour light is calling this will be our last goodbye what beautiful word's sung by a lovely lady god bless and keep you Judith Durham

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