Circus (Lenny Kravitz song)

"Circus"
Single by Lenny Kravitz
from the album Circus
ReleasedDecember 11, 1995 (1995-12-11)
GenreRock
Length4:48
LabelVirgin
Songwriters
ProducerLenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz singles chronology
"Rock and Roll Is Dead"
(1995) 		"Circus"
(1995) 		"Can't Get You Off My Mind"
(1995)
Music video
"Circus" on YouTube

"Circus" is a song co-written and performed by American singer Lenny Kravitz and released on December 11, 1995, by Virgin Records as the second single from his fourth studio album, Circus (1995). There were two music videos produced for the song: one directed by Ruvén Afanador[2] and the other by Martyn Atkins.[3] Kravitz explained to Billboard, "it gets more like a circus with all this suff—management people, fans, bankers, investment people. It's like, My God! What happened? It gets harder to be yourself."[4]

Critical reception

Steve Baltin from Cash Box described "Circus" as "a slow blues-based rocker with a killer chorus, a smoking guitar solo near the end and a great fade out. Despite all that, it's not immediately obvious what radio formats will embrace this heavy single."[5] John Perry from NME commented, "Here's Lenny the Krav with another of his homages to the loon pant. Instead of his usual pillion ride on Jimi's big Chopper, this time the Kravster has opted to paint himself a rather weak shade of Blue Öyster Cult."[6] Mark Kemp of Rolling Stone stated, "In the title track of Lenny Kravitz's new album, the singer struggles with the dictates of reality that come to bear on fantasy. "Welcome to the real world", he sings to himself. But in the real world according to Kravitz, rock stars still flash diamond rings and coke spoons, and bumper-sticker platitudes like god is love still soften the blows of the real real world."[7]

Charts

Chart (1995–1996) Peak
position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] 85
Scotland Singles (OCC)[9] 55
UK Singles (OCC)[10] 54

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States November 6, 1995 Rock radio Virgin [11]
United Kingdom December 11, 1995 10-inch vinyl [12]

References

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (1995). "Circus - Lenny Kravitz | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  2. ^ "Lenny Kravitz: Circus (Music Video) (1995)". FilmAffinity. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  3. ^ "Lenny Kravitz: Circus - Version 2, 1996". КиноПоиск. kinopoisk.ru. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  4. ^ Borzillo, Carrie (August 12, 1995). "Kravitz delivers raw circus sound". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 23. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  5. ^ Baltin, Steve (December 9, 1995). "Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 7. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  6. ^ Perry, John (December 9, 1995). "Singles". NME. p. 36. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  7. ^ Kemp, Mark (September 21, 1995). "Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 4, 2007. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  8. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Image 2851". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  9. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 23/12/1995 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  10. ^ "Official Singles Chart on 23/12/1995 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  11. ^ "New Music for November". Radio & Records. No. 1118. October 27, 1995. p. 84.
  12. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. December 9, 1995. p. 35.
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