Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: hard-rock
Song Meaning of “Carnies” by Rush
The song “Carnies” by Rush tells the story of an outsider looking to reconnect with his past. He is a veteran of a life on the carnival circuit, of rolling from town to town and playing the same old games every single night. He is a loner, with no real place to call home and no real connection to any of the other carnies. He has a romanticized view of his time on the road and finds himself longing to go back to that life, even though he knows it won’t bring him happiness.
The lyrics describe how he feels like an alien in the normal world, and how he is distanced from his friends and family. He has an intense longing for the simplicity of carnival life, so he can forget his worries of status and money, and just focus on the joy of play and sharing experiences with people who are like him, who understand him.
The chorus highlights the reality that the carnival life is a lonely one, and there is no real joy to be found in it. The carnival offers no real solace, and he will always be an outcast, a “carnie” in a world of normal people. Despite this, he still yearns for the distraction and freedom the carnival life offers, for a chance to temporarily escape the pressures of the world.