Is "Carousel" a metaphor?

[Kanye East]

I know MJ didn't write it, but I remember back when I was in school, a friend and I disagreed about this...do you think the song is literally about a girl who works in a circus, or do you think it's a metaphor for a guy who falls in love with a girl who is way out of his league, i.e. a girl who is much more popular and part of the in crowd than him?

I think it's probably a metaphor, and the references to pony ride, the calliope, etc... are not meant to be taken literally, just like the references to ghouls, etc... in "Ghosts".

I would put a poll, but I don't know how to do that on this site.

For those who have never heard Michael Sembello's original demo

 

[Agonum]

It’s a metaphor.

 

[BlackAnon]

Definitely metaphor......not meant to be taken literally as a girl that works at the circus

 

[Hot_Street]

Pony rides for a dime means something different.