Police dog at my neighbour's door
Marching up and down the street
To keep us safe from criminals
between the ages of twelve and sixteen
Well, I don't know about you friend
But tonight I sure can't sleep
Pouring gasoline on a fire seems like a strange way to keep the peace

You better keep your distance
run and hide your head
We'll all be brothers
when the carnival ends

The air's so thick and humid
and the sky is bottled up with rain
Motorcycles rev hysterically
like they're criminally insane
and the midway's full of barkers
just working to cut a deal
By midnight they're shouting to themselves "at half-price it's a steal"

You better keep your distance...

Informer on the back step
with scarlet-letter eyes
"curse my mother" he says
"and you'll be the first to die"
Next door a baby's sleeping
deep in some sweet girl's arms
Hold that darling closely
Far, far away from harm

You better keep your distance...
You better save up your money
get back in your bed
we'll all be together

When the carnival ends

When the carnival ends...

COLIN LINDEN-SOCAN-1995
Colin Linden Publishing/Warner-Chappell Music Canada

Gary Craig: Drums
John Dymond: Bass
Richard Bell: Organ, Horn Arrangement
Stephen Donald: Trombone
Perry White: Alto Saxophone
Chris Whiteley: Trumpet
Jody Golick: Tenor Saxophone
Rick Danko: Harmony Vocal
CL: Guitars, Vocal

Artist's Note

"When the Carnival Ends" is a true story. Put too many people in a small enough space and they start to antagonize each other. Rick Danko's backup vocal on this and Richard Bell's weepy horn arrangement are even better than I could've imagined.