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At an event in 2019 to celebrate the Monster 25th anniversary reissue, Michael Stipe revealed for the first time that the lyrics for both “Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)” (1982) and “Circus Envy” (1994) are inspired by the carnival scene in David Lynch’s film The Elephant Man (1980).
[Verse 1]
There's a secret stigma, reaping wheel
Diminish, a carnival of sorts
Chronic town, poster torn, reaping wheel
Stranger, stranger to these parts
[Chorus]
Gentlemen don't get caught
Cages under cage
Gentlemen don't get caught
Boxcars (are pulling) out of town
Boxcars (are pulling) out of town
Boxcars (are pulling) out of town
[Verse 1]
There's a secret stigma, reaping wheel
Diminish, a carnival of sorts
Chronic town, poster torn, reaping wheel
Stranger, stranger to these parts
[Chorus]
Gentlemen don't get caught
Cages under cage
Gentlemen don't get caught
Boxcars (are pulling) out of town
Boxcars (are pulling) out of town
Boxcars (are pulling) out of town
[Bridge]
Cages under, cages under
Cages under cage
Cages under, cages under
Cages under cage
[Chorus]
Gentlemen don't get caught
Cages under cage
Gentlemen don't get caught
Boxcars (are pulling) out of town
Boxcars (are pulling) out of town
Boxcars (are pulling) out of town
[Verse 2]
There's a secret stigma, reaping wheel
Stranger, stranger to these parts
Chronic town, poster torn, reaping wheel
Diminish, stranger
[Chorus]
Gentlemen don't get caught
Cages under cage
Gentlemen don't get caught
Boxcars (are pulling) out of town
Boxcars (are pulling) out of town
Boxcars (are pulling) out of town
Carnival of Sorts (Boxcars) was written by Michael Stipe & Mike Mills & Peter Buck & Bill Berry.
Carnival of Sorts (Boxcars) was produced by Mitch Easter & R.E.M..
R.E.M. released Carnival of Sorts (Boxcars) on Tue Aug 24 1982.