Lyrics Neil Young – Carnival

In a smoky tent I approached his loudness
Step by step up the long stairway
And looked into the barrel at Evel Knievel’s greatgrandfather
(Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival)

He was flying by in a silver jacket
He rode there in the barrel rocket
Securely held by centrifugal forces
(Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival)

Every time he touched the edge
With the gas pipe gulp of the fumes in my lungs and melt my mind
Exploding
(Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival)

Flying through the air
With the greatest of ease
The daring young lady
In the greatest show on earth

The giant wheel turned in the sky
Its colors splashed in my eyes
The barkers calling to me on the midway
(Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival)

I held the picture in my eye
From a photo booth near by
With a girl so lovely
I loved hear dearly at the time
(Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival)

She had the sugar in her eyes
I was totally mesmerized
As we walked together towards the big tower
(Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival)

Flying through the air

Aside the girl of flaming red hair
Later that day I returned there
Perhaps the devil himself had been her father
(Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival)

Then we consumed the giant midway
Taking it in ’til it threw us away
Yes, we wandered among the crowds of circus goers, circus goers
(Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival)

Eating fire and swallowing snakes
A potpourri of nature’s mistakes
On display at the tent of the bearded ladies
(Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival)

Riding through the night
With the greatest of ease
The daring young lady
In the greatest show on earth

We were grinding to the human beast
There was nothing safe about it
Nothing was right and nothing was wrong on the midway
(Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival)

I do exempt
Too much time was spent
In the tent of the strange elephant of enlightenment

My mind was free
My thoughts were pure
How much good could a man endure
As he made his way towards the big tower
(Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival)

Flying through the air
With the greatest of ease
The daring young lady
In the greatest show on earth

Riding through the night
To the human beast
There’s nothing safe about it
Nothing safe about the greatest show on earth

(Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival)

(Carnival, carnival, carnival, carnival)