"The Circus" is a song by English

synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...

duo

Erasure Erasure () is an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1985, consisting of lead vocalist and songwriter Andy Bell with songwriter, producer and keyboardist Vince Clarke, previously known as co-founder of the band Depeche Mode and a membe ...

, released on 21 September 1987 as the band's seventh single overall. It is also the title track on their second studio album, '' The Circus'' (1987). Written by Erasure members

Vince Clarke Vincent John Martin (born 3 July 1960), known professionally as Vince Clarke, is an English synth-pop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been the main composer and musician of the band Erasure since its inception in 1985, and was previously ...

and Andy Bell, the song was a departure from the shiny pop of their six previous singles, creating a more down-tempo and melancholy mood. Essentially a

track, the music is accentuated by acoustic

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

and a continuous circus-like

accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German ''Akkordeon'', from ''Akkord''—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a reed ...

. The lyrics touch on social issues, rare for the duo, and centre on the lament of "working men", whose bright futures and job securities are left shattered in the modern world of greedy corporations and technology. The song's distinctive and unusual sound is said to have been inspired by Bell hearing a record being played backwards. The album version clocks at 5.30 minutes, so it was remixed for single release to a much more radio-friendly 3:50 minutes.

Mute Records Mute Records is a British independent record label owned and founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller. It has featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Depeche Mode, Erasure, Einstürzende Neubauten, Fad Gadget, Goldfrapp, Grinderm ...

issued it as the fourth and final single from the album. Despite its haunting quality and dark lyrical content, "The Circus" became Erasure's third UK Top 10 hit, peaking at number six.

Track listings

; 7" single (MUTE66) # "The Circus" (Remix) # "The Circus" (Decay Mix) ; 12" single #1 (1-12MUTE66) # " Victim of Love" (Live) # "If I Could" (Live) # "The Circus" (Live) # "Spiralling" (Live) ; 12" single #2 (2-12MUTE66) # "

It Doesn't Have to Be "It Doesn't Have to Be" is a song by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released on 16 February 1987. It was issued as a single six weeks before the release of the duo's second studio album, '' The Circus'' (1987). Following the number-two UK placin ...

" (Live) # "Who Needs Love Like That" (Live) # "

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" is a song by Swedish band ABBA. It was recorded in August 1979 in order to help promote their North American and European tour of that year, and was released on ABBA's '' Greatest Hits Vol. 2'' album ...

" (Live) # "The Circus" (Bareback Rider Mix) ; 12" single #3 (3-12MUTE66) # "Sometimes" (Live) # "Say What" (Live) # "

Oh L'amour "Oh L'amour" is a song by English synthpop duo Erasure, released in April 1986 as their third single. Written by Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, it is a lament from someone experiencing unrequited love ''("broke my heart / now I'm ...

" (Live) # "The Circus" (Gladiator Mix) ; 12" single (Sire 20822-0) # "The Circus" (Gladiator Mix) – 6:07 # "The Circus" (Decay Mix) – 5:32 # "The Circus" (Bareback Rider Mix) – 6:35 # "The Circus" (DJ Mix) – 3:50 ; CD single (CDMUTE66) # "The Circus" (Remix) # "The Circus" (Decay Mix) # "If I Could" (Live) # "It Doesn't Have to Be" (Live) # "Say What" (Live) # "The Circus" (Live)

Charts

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Circus (song), The 1987 singles Erasure songs Songs written by Vince Clarke Songs written by Andy Bell (singer) Song recordings produced by Flood (producer) Mute Records singles 1987 songs