Album version
Sundown, sundown, they're taking all the tents down
Where have you gone my handsome Billy
Sundown, sundown, the carnival train's leaving town
Where are you now darling Billy
We won't be dancing together on the high wire
Facing the lions with you at my side anymore
We won't be breathing the smoke and the fire
On a midway
Hanging from the trapeze my wrists waiting for your wrists
Two daredevils high up on the wall of death
You throwing the knife that lands inches from my heart
Sundown
Moonrise, moonrise, the light that was in your eyes has gone away
Daybreak, daybreak, the thing in you that made me ache has gone to stay
We'll be riding the train without you tonight
The train that keeps on moving its black smoke scorching the evening sky
A millions stars shining above us like every soul living and dead
Has been gathered together by a God to sing a hymn over your bones
Sundown, sundown, empty are the fairgrounds
Where are you now handsome Billy
THE LAST CARNIVAL is a song written by Bruce Springsteen and released on his 2009 album Working On A Dream. The above lyrics are for Bruce Springsteen's album version of THE LAST CARNIVAL as released in 2009.
Bruce Springsteen wrote THE LAST CARNIVAL as a tribute to E Street Band keyboardist Danny Federici who died on 17 Apr 2008. Springsteen brought the song into studio in the fall of 2008 during the mixing stages for the Working On A Dream album. Federici's son, Jason, plays accordion on THE LAST CARNIVAL.
Working On A Dream is Bruce Springsteen's 24th album (and 16th studio album). It was officially announced, along with its track listing, on 17 Nov 2008, and released on 27 Jan 2009 on Columbia Records. The album was produced by Brendan O'Brien and recorded with the E Street Band during breaks on their 2007-2008 Magic Tour. It was recorded and mixed at Southern Tracks in Atlanta, GA with additional recording in New York City, Los Angeles, and New Jersey.
Bruce Springsteen said about the album, "Towards the end of recording 'Magic,' excited by the return to pop production sounds, I continued writing. When my friend producer Brendan O'Brien heard the new songs, he said, 'Let's keep going.' Over the course of the next year, that's just what we did, recording with the E Street Band during the breaks on last year's tour. I hope 'Working on a Dream' has caught the energy of the band fresh off the road from some of the most exciting shows we've ever done. All the songs were written quickly, we usually used one of our first few takes, and we all had a blast making this one from beginning to end."
The album features 12 new Springsteen compositions plus a bonus track and clocks at 51:08.
Side 1:
Side 2:
Side 4:
Side 4:
A deluxe edition of Working On A Dream features a bonus DVD that contains a 38-minute behind-the-scenes footage of the recording of the album. Produced, directed, and edited by Thom Zimny, it includes studio footage edited to the tracks of MY LUCKY DAY, QUEEN OF THE SUPERMARKET, KINGDOM OF DAYS, WORKING ON A DREAM, LIFE ITSELF, and THE LAST CARNIVAL. It also contains demos and early band versions of the songs as they were worked up. The DVD also includes video for A NIGHT WITH THE JERSEY DEVIL.
SECTION NOT YET COMPLETED
The music video for THE LAST CARNIVAL was included on the Japanese Singles Collection -Greatest Hits- compilation album.
Japanese Singles Collection -Greatest Hits- is a Bruce Springsteen compilation album released by Sony Music Japan in 2023. The compilation, which was exclusively released in Japan, consists of previously released 35 audio tracks and 62 video tracks. The collection is part of a 26-title reissue campaign to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen's debut album. The series, issued in three waves (25 Oct 2023, 22 Nov 2023, and 20 Dec 2023), includes 25 albums originally released between 1973 and 2014 plus a new compilation album that includes all of Springsteen's singles released in Japan from 1975 to 1999. All audio CD's were manufactured using Sony Japan's Blu-spec CD2 format.
Disc 1: (audio CD)
Disc 2: (audio CD)
Disc 3: (DVD)
Disc 4: (DVD)
As far as it's known, Bruce Springsteen has never performed THE LAST CARNIVAL live.
At least 2 artists have recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's THE LAST CARNIVAL.
List of available versions of THE LAST CARNIVAL on this website:
THE LAST CARNIVAL [Album version]
