One idea for a mix (shared here today) was to feature some of these singers and groups, from far back (Leon Russell, Leo Sayer, Alex Harvey, and The Hello People), far afield (Secos & Molhados), far out (Fad Gadget, Klaus Nomi), and far-fetched (Clownvis Presley, Mac Sabbath, Yeastie Boys).
As mentioned, some of them only donned greasepaint or clown masks for an album cover (Gary Lewis, Frank Sinatra, The Armed), while others have made a career out of it (Puddles Pity Party, Slipknot, various juggalos). Oh yeah, forgot to mention: there be juggalos.
Our other idea for a mix (coming up soon) is songs about clowns. Like-minded music fans such as yourselves will have no trouble thinking of clown songs, but hopefully we've found a few surprises. Stick around and see for yourselves!
https://tinyurl.com/ClownRock
ReplyDeleteNEW LINK (fixed): https://tinyurl.com/ClownsV1
DeleteDo you have a favorite clown-themed album cover or artist? Or one that's particularly strange?
ReplyDeleteRandy Newman's Born Again was a bit of a shock...
DeleteRandy Gets $aved! A classic cover image (for those who haven't seen it):
Deletehttps://www.discogs.com/release/864496-Randy-Newman-Born-Again
Nektar - Down To Earth - 1974
ReplyDeleteThey look like Clown College students on a field trip! https://www.discogs.com/master/25995-Nektar-Down-To-Earth
DeleteOK, they were prog rockers, hence the college look. But on this album they were joined by Robert Calvert. So for this album they could have really been clowns. Nelly The Elephant was a favorite song.
DeleteI completely overlooked BORN AGAIN! Good one pontyboy! - Stinky
ReplyDeletePousette Dart Band?
ReplyDeletePeut-être. I won't pooh-pooh the suggestion.
DeleteNo wonder clowns are having such a bad reputation these days! Right now I can only think of the classic Tears of a Clown...
ReplyDeleteThis post is so scary: https://dangerousminds.net/comments/the_horror_of_clown_themed_album_covers
"Relax With My Horns"? No, thanks! I will never. Relax. Again.
DeleteMy friend from high school (first punker) wants to play your game as last week he posted this one last week that is thee best 'clowns' tune done in symphonic perfection!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W3v2RC8PcY love this theme guys!
ReplyDeleteMan, those ARE some scary clowns, Koen. - Stinky
ReplyDeleteOm - Cerberus (CH avant-fusion 1980)
ReplyDeletehttps://www.discogs.com/release/2257922-OM-Cerberus
Musically disappointing compared with their previous three, and with that cover.
I had a cassette by Insane Clown Posse.
ReplyDelete... and you lived to tell the tale!
DeleteDude, if you want a scary-looking clown-themed cover, look no further than this:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.discogs.com/fr/master/298947-Cheap-Trick-Woke-Up-With-A-Monster/image/SW1hZ2U6Mzg3ODg2OQ==
I'm not even sure the clown is the scariest thing on there, might be the ladies' ass cheeks...Jeez, what the hell were they thinkng when they cooked this up. Did the Trick want t compete with grunge bands?
Yikes! Reminds me of Bobcat Goldthwait's movie "Shakes The Clown". I was listening to a lot of Stranglers records recently, and realized that their visual image had a duality similar to Cheap Trick. JJ was dark and handsome, and Hugh was reasonably good looking. On the other hand, Dave Greenfield had a pudding bowl haircut, and he and Jet Black used to wear mechanics' coveralls. Cheap Trick had an album called "In Color"... and The Stranglers had "Black And White"!
DeleteONE BUCK GUY has found the one I can't believe I missed (as a CHEAP TRICK fan.). Well done! I feel like the joke is that both the clown AND the stripper may have WOKE UP WITH A MONSTER! - Stinky
ReplyDeleteSongs about clowns:
ReplyDelete"Something Bad Happened To A Clown" immediately comes to mind. Personally, I think it's one of Warren Zevon's weakest songs, musically and lyrically, but it definitively fits the bill...
“That’s just weak songwriting! You wrote a bad song, Warren!”
DeleteYou know, for years, I was on the Warren Zevon message board and any suggestion that he wasn't a total genius 100% of the time and all of his songs were totally awesome was usually not taken well...obvious is probably the word that most comes to mind...
DeleteDeath of a Clown by The Kinks - 1967
ReplyDeleteO.K. got one finally for ewu clownekneeze … Johnny Dee And The Rocket 88s have one member in an alien mask and costume complete on their 1980 self titled album. Viacom
ReplyDeletehttps://www.discogs.com/release/7020781-Johnny-Dee-And-The-Rocket-88s-Johnny-Dee-And-The-Rocket-88s
DeleteThey sure do!
I Am A Clown - David Cassidy
ReplyDeleteMight not fit the mood of most Jon-Ky comps but Mingus' "The Clown" is a great one with improvised narration by Jean Shepherd: https://youtu.be/f-b9I_UrRe4?si=EgCpeSXkn--qPXw1
ReplyDeleteCheating I found more "clown" songs than can fit in the proverbial clown car and eventually gave up trying to sort through them.
Would you say, then, that clowntime is... over?
DeleteI just downloaded volume 2 and then came here for volume 1, but there's nothing in the zip file for volume 1
ReplyDeleteYou're right -- sorry about that! I just zipped the songs again, re-upped the file with a new link. Tested it, and it works fine now.
DeleteNEW LINK for Vol. 1: https://tinyurl.com/ClownsV1
Yes! It worked. Thank you again!
DeleteA very nice text from Stinky there on volume 2, so I pass my comment here.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MLer2ID-dg BZN - The Clown. Am I right in thinking that this Clowneske idea is 1) a title, 2) an artist 3) reference in the lyic 4) artist appearance. And maybe more. Is The Sensational Alex Harvey Band clowny enough. Kiss certainly are clowns, and Alice Cooper? You mention Klaus Nomi. There is this tear-jerker Ben Cramer who sang De Clown, and as done back then, the dutch text has got nothing to do with the original text.
What about Jester https://www.discogs.com/release/866148-Marillion-Script-For-A-Jesters-Tear .
There's a heavy metal band that has a clown mascot on their album covers (sorta like Iron Maiden's Eddie) which I pointed out to Stinky, but I had forgotten about Marillion and their Jester. Good one!
DeleteYou are correct: the clown can be part of a song title, an artist (especially one who wears face paint like Alex Harvey or the members of Kiss), or the clown can be referenced in the lyric. Thanks once again, Richard!
Just listened to Nothing Sacred and FUCK ANETA BRYANT is just brilliant. If you can't take a joke, don't make one. If you are easily offended, don't have an opinion, for it may offend someone else. However: tolerate, and you may tolerate the intolerant, who in turn don't tolerate the tolerant.
ReplyDeleteI think I follow you. The intolerant don't return the courtesy of tolerating the tolerant. One could also be intolerant of the intolerant -- Anita Bryant was a poster girl for intolerance, and I always found her intolerable.
DeleteSpeaking of clowns, I find the lack of Thrilla Killa Klowz "Magical Mysteries" shocking!! https://youtu.be/alI12mhWZ2Q?si=FHxd1cGRYEN-0a0Q&t=29
ReplyDeleteClowny daggers, MrDave! https://youtu.be/7TOnyBHnZdY?si=vENoq_nP8r0RrnzO
Delete