"Carnival" is a song written and produced by singer-songwriter

Natalie Merchant Natalie Anne Merchant (born October 26, 1963) is an American alternative rock singer-songwriter. She joined the band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and was lead vocalist and primary lyricist for the group. She remained with the group for their first se ...

and was the lead single from her debut solo album, ''

Tigerlily ''Tigerlily'' is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant, released on June 20, 1995, following her departure from the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs. ''Tigerlily'' peaked at No. 13 on the ''Billboard'' 200 ...

'' (1995). In the lyrics, the protagonist describes a street scene as a carnival. Merchant was inspired to write the song after visiting New York City for the first time when she was 16, claiming she was fascinated with the residents' unusual lifestyles, as she grew up in rural areas. The single was released in the United States in July 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 The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...

, and reached number 17 in Canada. 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 Melodie McDaniel (born 1967) is a Los Angeles, CA-based American still life, celebrity, and advertising photographer and film director. Early life and background Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, McDaniel graduated in 1992 from Art Center Co ...

, shows scenes of Merchant walking the streets of New York City taking street photographs with a

Leica M3 The Leica M3 is a 35 mm rangefinder camera by Ernst Leitz GmbH (now Leica Camera AG), introduced in 1954. It was a new starting point for Leitz, which until then had only produced screw-mount Leica cameras that were incremental improvements to i ...

Track listings

US CD single # "Carnival" – 5:59 # "I May Know the Word" – 8:01 US cassette single :A. "Carnival" (album version) – 5:59 :B. "I May Know the Word" (album version) – 8:07 European and Australian CD single # "Carnival" (edit) – 4:02 # "Carnival" (LP version) – 5:59 # "I May Know the Word" – 8:07

Personnel

* Jennifer Turner – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals * John Holbrook – organ, electric guitar, engineer *

Katell Keineg Katell Keineg (born February 1965), is a Breton- Welsh singer-songwriter, based in Wales. Early life Born in Brittany and raised first there and later in the Rhymney Valley, Katell Keineg is the second child and only daughter of Breton poet and ...

– background vocals * Barrie Maguire – bass, 12-string guitar *

– vocals, piano, organ, vibraphone *

Peter Yanowitz Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...

– percussion, drums * Mike Spenser – bass, electric guitar * Eric Henderson – electric guitar

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carnival (Song) 1995 debut singles 1995 songs Elektra Records singles Natalie Merchant songs Songs written by Natalie Merchant Warner Records singles