Running With the Carnival
Journey to Freedom: Embracing Life's Carnival Revelry
Lyrics
Oh, down by the river where the wildflower grow
Describing a location by the river where wildflowers grow.
All the people comin' to a carnival show
People gathering for a carnival show.
Got my little brother Bobby here, so come along
The speaker's little brother Bobby is present, inviting others to join.
Oh, we gotta get there early or the seats are all gone
Emphasizing the importance of arriving early to secure seats.
Hey, now, you can smell the sawdust up your nose for a mile
Sensory description of the carnival atmosphere with sawdust in the air.
There's a bearded lady and that man's a crocodile
Mentioning unusual carnival attractions like a bearded lady and a crocodile man.
Slip inside the tent and see the giant rubber man
Encouraging the audience to enter the tent and witness the giant rubber man.
Oh, I bet his momma's proud of him, he's doin' what he can
Speculating on the pride the rubber man's mother might feel.
Doin' what he can.
Repeating the idea that he's doing what he can, acknowledging limitations.
Oh, I wonder if they'd let me join up with 'em if I could
Expressing a desire to join the carnival and leave the current life behind.
Get down to the city, get off this hill for good
Contemplating leaving the hill and the current routine.
Yeah, I'm tired of totin' water, feedin' chickens in a shack
Expressing weariness of mundane tasks like carrying water and feeding chickens.
I'm runnin' away to the carnival, an' never comin' back
Deciding to run away to the carnival and never return.
Nope! Never comin' back.
Reiterating the determination to never come back.
Now, the strong man got no hair, he can lift a heavy stone
Describing the strong man and his unique appearance.
Monkey woman's screechin', in her nose there's a bone
Depicting the monkey woman with a distinctive feature in her nose.
The cracker barrel's open and the cider's filled with flies
Setting the scene with an open cracker barrel and cider infested with flies.
Oh, take a seat down in front, 'cause the curtain's 'bout to rise
Encouraging the audience to take a seat as the curtain is about to rise.
Yeah, wander past the fortune teller, readin' someone's hand
Passing by a fortune teller, pondering the future while listening to music.
What future does she see while we listen to the band?
Questioning the future seen by the fortune teller while enjoying the band.
And I can hear the music now from that calliope
Hearing the music from a calliope, associating it with the carnival.
Oh, when the carnival's in town there's always somethin' new to see
Expressing the constant novelty and excitement when the carnival is in town.
Somethin' new to see...
Repeating the idea of always finding something new at the carnival.
Oh, the people in the carnival, they all act just like kin
Characterizing the people in the carnival as a close-knit family.
And you can't be in the middle when you're sleepin' with a Siamese twin
Highlighting the challenge of being neutral when involved with a Siamese twin.
Oh, the dog-faced boy lifts his leg out in the pourin' rain
Describing an unconventional act involving a dog-faced boy in the rain.
When you're travellin' with the carnival, there really is no shame
Stating that there's no shame when traveling with the carnival.
Nope, no shame.
Reiterating the lack of shame in being part of the carnival.
Down by the river where the wildflower grow
Returning to the location by the river where wildflowers grow.
All the folks are packin' up that carnival to go
People packing up the carnival to leave.
I guess I'll soon be leavin', then, but you can come with me
Considering leaving but inviting others to join in the journey.
And we all run to the carnival and see what we would be
Encouraging everyone to run to the carnival and discover their potential roles.
Repeat and fade:
Repeating the idea of running with the carnival and fading out.
Run, run, runnin' with the carnival
Final repetition of the theme of running with the carnival.
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