So the man in the record shop said it was an ultra limited, hand stamped, one sided, white label 7" single. Manna from heaven for the vinyl junkie in other words. It almost seemed superfluous to ask who the song was by but Bluesbunny did (we are so very conscientious…) and it turned out to be "Carnies" by Martina Topley-Bird.
Fortumately, "Carnies" was a rather fine song indeed. It had a very pleasing dreamlike quality to it like you get when you stare at bright lights through an alcoholic haze. As "Ms Topley-Brown intones "… carnies have come to town", you feel that she would want to run away and join the circus. Not a circus of prancing horses and clown though, more like a mystical troupe of magicians casting spells over all that encounter them. The suitably atmospheric arrangements reinforce this feeling of escaping into the excitement of the unknown.
A quirky little song but completely charming. Pretty much how a good song should be, don't you think?