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Nothing is sadder
than a deserted carnival
After the performers
have all gone to bed
Nothing's more tragic
than to envision them lifeless
Puppets in some
shed - all cold and dead ...
The carousel - it
goes around
I'm getting off
because - I'm coming down
The vendors, the
animal tenders have all gone to sleep
The fairgrounds
are silent - no neon elite
Nothing is sadder
than to see them pack up and away
To another state,
another time, another week-short passion play...
The carousel- it
goes around
I'm getting off
because - I'm coming down ...
'Cause I too am just
a Carney
Playing a game or
two for you
Displayed within
a sideshow
In a different point
of view
I too am just a Mover
To another town
I'll glide
A transient Minstrel
of Destiny
On a Life-long Fairgrounds
ride ...
Lyrics and Music by Al Tavers
copyright 1977, 1996 Al Tavers/ Prodigy Productions (Jackal Enterprises)
All Rights Reserved
Lincoln Park photos by Al Tavers - copyright 1996 by Albert Tavers/
Jackal Enterprises
Carousel photos are linked to the sites from which they are borrowed
and originated.
AMX photo (and inset enlargement) by Brenda Short
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Time certainly does bring about a LOT OF changes to our surrounding environment, too. There have been SO MANY CHANGES in this area (Southeastern Massachusetts/ Providence, Rhode Island/ Cape Cod area) since I was a kid. One of those memories of the past was that every year would bring the Rehoboth Fair to where the old fairgrounds always were, right down the street from me. Actually, the fair held MANY happy memories - there were lots of times over the years that I had a good time with my friends there, when I had a good time with family members there, when I ran into people whom I hadn't seen in years there. Anyway, I would be coming home late at night - usually after a gig or band rehearsal - and the fair would be there, but there would be only subdued lighting and the place was all deserted of people. Quite a far cry from all the neon lights and colorful people everywhere - all of the activity of when it was open. One of these nights, I came home and went out into the garage at about 2 or 3 a.m. and wrote "Deserted Carnival." |
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This was my car around the time period of writing "Deserted Carnival." It's a 1970 AMX. The AMX was more or less of a two seated Javelin. As far as I know, the AMX was the only "sports car" that American Motors ever built. At least up to that time it was. It had a 360 engine and the body was light as a feather. Believe me I got a lot more than one ticket in it. That car screamed. Like any other sports car though, if you race it, you'd better plan on continuously dumping money into it. When I got rid of it finally, I bought a brand new 1979 Firebird Espirit - actually the first and last car I have ever bought brand new. Want to guess at the price? $6,500. I had ordered a Trans Am - fully loaded and being built just for me. The factory took forever and a day to deliver it to the dealer, so finally I said, "screw it" and went out and bought the Firebird. The Trans Am was going to cost just under $8,500. Ah - yeah - I think those times really WERE so much simpler and relaxed than we have it today ...
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The "deserted landscape" photos are actually of the ruins of one of the MANY amusement parks which were around this area when I was growing up. There are now NONE in the immediate area. This one was Lincoln Park, located in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. As you can see, there isn't too much left standing of it. The old wooden roller coaster was probably the fastest around. Once when we were there, as kids, my step-mother and step-brother were in line to go on this coaster again. My father was getting really inpatient and wanted to go home, so he actually made them get out of line. When we got home that night, we saw on the news that the coaster had gone to the top of the first hill and the chain broke or became stuck. The cars came flying backwards - back down the hill - and when they hit that first turn, flipped over backwards - flinging people out and trapping people underneath. I don't recall if anyone was killed (I think someone was, though) but people were definitely injured really badly. I remembered that we heard the sound of this as we were going to the car.
Good thing they got out of that line and didn't go on that
ride.
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