Dead Can Dance video "The Carnival Is Over" directed by Ondrej Rudavsky.
[From "Dead Can Dance" box set 1981-1998 ].
The original song was taken from "Into the Labyrinth" album.
Ondrej Rudavsky Biography + Dead Can Dance Biography
~
Opinion Piece #6 ~ The Carnival Is Over~
Answer any or ALL of the following:
1. What is your interpretation of this video?
2. Is this just a visual and aural experience or does it have meaning?
3. Connections with Cirque du Soleil?~
LYRICS FOR THE CARNIVAL IS OVER
Outside
The storm clouds gathering,
Moved silently along the dusty boulevard.
Where flowers turning crane their fragile necks
So they can in turn
Reach up and kiss the sky.
They are driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye
Someone is calling.
I remember when you held my hand
In the park we would play when the circus came to town.
Look! Over here.
Outside
The circus gathering
Moved silently along the rainswept boulevard.
The procession moved on the shouting is over
The fabulous freaks are leaving town.
They are driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye.
The carnival is over
We sat and watched
As the moon rose again
For the very first time.
~
[From "Dead Can Dance" box set 1981-1998 ].
The original song was taken from "Into the Labyrinth" album.
Ondrej Rudavsky Biography + Dead Can Dance Biography
~
Opinion Piece #6 ~ The Carnival Is Over~
Answer any or ALL of the following:
1. What is your interpretation of this video?
2. Is this just a visual and aural experience or does it have meaning?
3. Connections with Cirque du Soleil?~
LYRICS FOR THE CARNIVAL IS OVER
Outside
The storm clouds gathering,
Moved silently along the dusty boulevard.
Where flowers turning crane their fragile necks
So they can in turn
Reach up and kiss the sky.
They are driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye
Someone is calling.
I remember when you held my hand
In the park we would play when the circus came to town.
Look! Over here.
Outside
The circus gathering
Moved silently along the rainswept boulevard.
The procession moved on the shouting is over
The fabulous freaks are leaving town.
They are driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye.
The carnival is over
We sat and watched
As the moon rose again
For the very first time.
~
8 comments:
My interpretation of the video is a glum, dreary, abstract version of a circus. Juxtaposed to the happy, colourful and lively place a circus usually is.
I think the video does have meaning. Circus' when you think about it, can have a sad meaning. The animals are kept in cages and made to perform, the performers are nomadic. And the expression often used "I'll run away to the circus" to me, means there must be problems in some of their lives that can't be fixed easily.
The lighting and overall 'mystic' feel is what connects this video to Cirque du Soleil.
My interpretation of the video is that the circus a melancoly and dark place, juxtaposed with the happy, colourful and lively place a circus is shown to be. I believe the video has meaning, when you think of a circus you think of clowns dancing around, crowds of children smiling and laughing, people in awe of their talent, but going deeper.. a circus is full of Nomadic people who may have "run away to the circus" to escape other problems. The animals, often herd animals (such as tigers, lions, elephants) are kept in cages, luckily, big enough to turn around in.
The connection to Cirque du Soleil is just the overall mystic feel to the video.
I think I know another version of the Carnival is over.
This one is really sad, I don't think I want to hear it too often.
Did you go to see prince William? I was in Queensland and admiring the ladies shaking his hand.
I'm just commenting so I can get connected with your blog.
I'm looking forward to exploring this little world of writing and making my own pieces as well.
-Paulo T.
I am commenting here so that I can make a connection to the blog.
As Paulo said above, I look forward to exploring and contributing to this interesting blog.
Posting a comment to connect (forgot to add name and initial in last comment)
-Nick M.
Posting an interpretation this time :)
I believe that “The Carnival” is a metaphor for all the things in the world that are vivid and fascinating. All the things full of colour, life and vibrance. Most people that are intriguing and different are generally regarded as freaks and made outcasts in society. These freaks are the members of “The Carnival”.
The song mourns the loss of these people, it weeps over the fact that people are becoming less interesting. It is a melancholy protest against the loss of personality and the need to fit a certain mould. There are still people out there who are regarded as “crazy” and “different”, but most of them are missing a certain shine, a certain vibrance.... they are missing colour. Not in a literal sense, but most freaks nowadays are eccentric just for the sake of the attention. The “colour” is that uniqueness inside all of us that we keep hold down, in fear of judgement from the other faceless drones around us. It’s that genuine individuality in us, not a manufactured and forced desire to be “different from the rest” for the sake of personal benefit, but a very deep and honest aspect within us. That’s what I believe the video itself was representing. It was a circus complete with shapes, acrobatics, amazing feats and dazzling visual sensations, but it was missing colour. It was quite a sensation to the eyes, but it was dark and dreary. It had all the requirements, but it wasn’t natural, it didn’t have that “colour”, and without colour there is no joy.
Paulo ~ I have read your comment several times and enjoyed how carefully you explained the tensions. Your expression is descriptive without being overly overwhelming so that the thread linking your ideas becomes ragged! Simply beautiful! Maybe you may like to post this on your own blog to secure ownership and link to the title of this post! If you choose to do so, then I will comment again for you!
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