Clown (song)

"Clown"
Single by Korn
from the album Korn
Released	February 2, 1996 Promo only
Format	CD5"
Recorded	1994
Genre	Nu metal, alternative metal
Length	4:36 3:52 (radio edit)
Label	Epic Records
Producer	Ross Robinson
Korn singles chronology
"Shoots and Ladders" (1995) "Clown" (1996) "No Place to Hide" (1996)
Korn track listing "Need To" (3) "Clown" (4) "Divine" (5)

"Clown" is the fourth single by nu metal band Korn from their self-titled debut album. The video for this song, directed by McG actually refers to lead singer Jonathan Davis painful experiences from high school, where he was constantly picked on and ridiculed. The song itself is about how people try to be something they're not in order to be accepted instead of just being themselves.

What inspired Davis to write this song though, was an early gig where a skinhead was booing them and telling them to "go back to Bakersfield!" Jonathan knelt down to hear him and the guy took a swing at him. He missed and the band's manager assaulted him. The skinhead was all tattooed and looked like a clown, inspiring the title of the song and also the line "Hit me clown, because I'm not from your town."

Preceding the song is a conversation with Korn fooling around at the song's recording. In this recording, the band mentions "Twist", a song that was supposed to be included on the album but was instead used on the band's 1996 album Life Is Peachy.

Jonathan Davis comments on meaning

A quote taken from Korn's Who Then Now? video, which serves as an introduction for the music video.

“

I wrote a song about a guy in San Diego who took a swing at me. He's all "Fuck you! Go back to Bakersfield!" Well I didn't understand that, so I bent down and he tried to swing at me, and our road manager Jeff knocked his ass out, that song is Clown.

”

Music video

The video consists of clips depicting Jonathan's painful experiences in high school. He is seen in the locker room sitting down wet, and is seen being taunted by other people. The rest of the band is seen performing in a room of dolls and a toy clown is seen dancing around and balancing the dolls on his nose. There are also clips of Korn performing in a locker room, believed to be the same one Jonathan Davis is sitting in. The music video aired on June 3, 1996 and was directed by McG.

Track listing

US Radio Promo

• CD5" ESK 6580^[1]

1. "Clown" – 4:36

Note: the back cover does not state which version this is however it is identical to the Radio Edit on the below European promo.

European Radio Promo

• CD5" ESK 7735^[2]

1. "Clown" (Radio Edit) – 4:36

See also

References

1. ^ "Clown US Radio Promo (ESK 6580)". Korn.simpol.net. http://korn.simpol.net/korn/discography/discography/singles/clown/clown-uspr.htm. Retrieved November 20, 2011. 
2. ^ "Clown European Radio Promo (ESK 7735)". Korn.simpol.net. http://korn.simpol.net/korn/discography/discography/singles/clown/clown-eupr.htm. Retrieved November 20, 2011. 

External links

• Lyrics