Rundgren is well known among his fans as being an electronic music revolutionary. His skilled production techniques, matched by his belief that he has ability to play just about any instrument at a mastery level, has allowed him to release some of the most honest and personal music of his time. Many of his solo albums, including Something/Anything?]' were made completely by himself. That is, he played all the instruments, sang all the vocals, did all of the recording, editing, mixing, and mastering.
Website: http://www.tr-i.com/
Core discography:
With Nazz:
1968 - Nazz
1969 - Nazz Nazz
1970 - Nazz III
Solo:
1970 - Runt
1971 - Runt. The Ballad of Todd Rundgren
1972 - Something/Anything?
1973 - A Wizard, a True Star
1974 - Todd
1975 - Initiation
1976 - Faithful
1978 - Hermit of Mink Hollow
1978 - Back to the Bars (live)
1981 - Healing
1983 - The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect
1985 - A Cappella
1989 - Nearly Human
1991 - 2nd Wind
1993 - No World Order
1995 - The Individualist
1997 - With a Twist
1998 - Up Against It
2000 - One Long Year
2003 - Can't Stop Running (live box set)
2004 - Liars
2008 - Arena
2011 - Todd Rundgren's Johnson
2011 - (re)Production
2013 - State
2015 - Global
2015 - Runddans (collaboration with Emil Nikolaisen and Hans-Peter Lindstrøm)
2017 - White Knight
With Utopia:
1974 - Todd Rundgren's Utopia
1975 - Another Live
1976 (released 2001) - Disco Jets
1977 - Ra
1977 - Oops! Wrong Planet
1980 - Adventures in Utopia
1980 - Deface the Music
1982 - Swing to the Right
1982 - Utopia
1984 - Oblivion
1985 - P.O.V.
2003 - Last of the New Wave Riders (live box set)
The Night The Carousel Burned Down
Todd Rundgren Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The fire and confusion, the smoke and the sound
I swear you there when the carousel burnt down
We were all around
The rings charred and tarnished all over the ground
And our heads hung down
And we all left town
The children all cried when the carousel burnt down
The old ladies sighed as the carousel burnt down
The rest of us lied as the carousel burnt down
And the flames did fly
The pipes steamed and shrieked out a blazing goodbye
As the boiler died
And they melted down
The midway
And we all left town the next day
And we all left town the next day
And we all left town the next day
And we all left town the next day
And we all left town the next day
"The Night The Carousel Burned Down" is a song written by Todd Rundgren that reflects on the aftermath of a devastating fire that destroyed a carousel. In the opening verse, Rundgren questions if the listener was present during the fire, describing the chaotic scene filled with smoke, noise, and confusion. He repeats that they were all around, to emphasize that everyone felt the impact of the fire. The second verse talks about the consequences of the fire. The rings that the riders grabbed fell to the ground, tarnished and charred, and everyone's heads hung low as they departed the scene. The third verse highlights the different reactions to the fire. The children cried, the old ladies sighed, and the rest of the people lied about their feelings. The last two lines of the verse describe the visuals of the flame as they fly through the structure. The final words of the verse, "the pipes steamed and shrieked out a blazing goodbye, as the boiler died," signify the end of an era. The midway melted down, and everyone left town the next day.
Line by Line Meaning
Weren't you there when the carousel burnt down?
Did you witness the catastrophic fire that consumed the carousel?
The fire and confusion, the smoke and the sound
The chaotic and hazy atmosphere created by the flames and smoke.
I swear you there when the carousel burnt down
I am certain that you were present when the carousel ignited.
We were all around
We were all in the vicinity of where the carousel was situated when it caught fire.
The rings charred and tarnished all over the ground
The circular elements of the carousel were burned and discolored, strewn across the earth.
And our heads hung down
We were crestfallen and full of despair.
And we all left town
We departed the vicinity, seeking to distance ourselves from the tragedy.
The next day
Immediately following the carousel fire.
The children all cried when the carousel burnt down
The young ones were deeply affected by the destruction of the carousel, and shed tears in response.
The old ladies sighed as the carousel burnt down
The elderly women exhaled while observing the carousel burn, expressing disappointment and lamentation.
The rest of us lied as the carousel burnt down
The rest of us were dishonest about the circumstances surrounding the carousel fire.
And the flames did fly
The blazes consumed the carousel in a violent, alarming fashion.
The pipes steamed and shrieked out a blazing goodbye
The pipes connected to the carousel's boiler sizzled and let out a loud, screeching noise, as if bidding farewell to the burning structure.
As the boiler died
After the boiler had completely disintegrated and was no longer functional.
And they melted down
The various components of the carousel began to dissolve and liquefy under the immense heat of the flames.
The midway
The stretch of land that separated the various attractions in the amusement park where the carousel was located.
And we all left town the next day
We vacated the area expeditiously, the morning following the carousel fire.
And we all left town the next day
With urgency and haste, all of us departed from the vicinity on the day after the tragic carousel fire.
And we all left town the next day
On the subsequent day, we immediately left the area surrounding the burnt carousel.
Contributed by Samantha H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Julia Egner
So sad that this man has never gotten the recognition he deserves, except that is, by true
musical enthusiasts! Todd, you rock!
hue99
He's popular in Japan.
Soul of the Troll Productions
@James Berman Ah, yes, I see.
Soul of the Troll Productions
@James Berman Ah, yes, I see.
James Berman
@Soul of the Troll Productions My point is, all three of them did better with albums.
Soul of the Troll Productions
@James Berman Agree about Lou Reed, Ziggy was YUGE!
B H
The nuances of this song are amazing. A tragedy with no accountability.
Biz Beats
It’s rather eerie when you think about it
Henry Jewell
He has plenty of recognition from fans who appreciate all his work.Todd does not need to be the biggest star in the world.His fans like and appreciate all the great music he has written and performed over the years.Being a Todd fan has exposed me to so much music and brilliance.
Bob W
Such a gem as only Todd could write. Love this tune with time changes back and forth with a gorgeous melody and lyrics. So unique