Carnival (Natalie Merchant song)

"Carnival"
U.S. CD single
Single by Natalie Merchant
from the album Tigerlily
B-side	"I May Know the Word"
Released	1995
Length	5:59 (album version) 4:01 (edit)
Label	Elektra Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Natalie Merchant
Producer(s)	Natalie Merchant
Natalie Merchant singles chronology
"Carnival" (1995) "Wonder" (1995)
Music video
"Carnival" on YouTube

"Carnival" is a song written and produced by singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant and was the lead single from her debut solo album, Tigerlily (1995). In the lyrics, the protagonist compares the many colorful sights and sounds of day-to-day life in New York City to a carnival. Merchant was inspired to write the song after visiting the city for the first time when she was 16, claiming she was fascinated with the residents' unusual lifestyles, as she grew up in the country.^[1]

The single was released to US radio in 1995 and reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Merchant's highest-charting solo single in the US. It is also her most successful hit in Australia, peaking at number 24 on the ARIA Singles Chart, and her third-most-successful song in Canada (after "Wonder" and "Jealousy"), where it reached number 17. The single received a radio edit cutting the song down from the six-minute LP version. The video for the song, directed by Melodie McDaniel,^{[citation needed]} shows scenes of Merchant walking the streets of New York City taking street photographs with a Leica M3.

Track listings[]

US CD single^[2]

1. "Carnival" – 5:59
2. "I May Know the Word" – 8:01

US cassette single^[3]

A. "Carnival" (album version) – 5:59

B. "I May Know the Word" (album version) – 8:07

European and Australian CD single^[4]

1. "Carnival" (edit) – 4:02
2. "Carnival" (LP version) – 5:59
3. "I May Know the Word" – 8:07

Personnel[]

• Jennifer Turner – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals
• John Holbrook – organ, electric guitar, engineer
• Katell Keineg – background vocals
• Barrie Maguire – bass, 12-string guitar
• Natalie Merchant – vocals, piano, organ, vibraphone
• Peter Yanowitz – percussion, drums
• Mike Spenser – bass, electric guitar
• Eric Henderson – electric guitar

Charts[]

In popular culture[]

• In 2000, the song was used in the Xena: Warrior Princess episode "Antony and Cleopatra".
• Prior to her execution in 2002, this song was requested by serial killer Aileen Wuornos to be played at her funeral. In 2003, the song was used in Nick Broomfield's documentary Aileen: Life And Death Of A Serial Killer. The song also serves as an entrance theme to a fictional Wuornos in American Horror Story: Hotel, portrayed by Lily Rabe.
• In 2010, the song was used in the film The Halves.
• The song appeared in the Hindsight episode "Tragic Kingdom".

References[]

External links[]

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

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