Clown (Mariah Carey song)

Last updated

"Clown"
Song by Mariah Carey
from the album Charmbracelet
ReleasedNovember 20, 2002 (2002-11-20)
Length3:17
Label Island
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Audio
"Clown" on YouTube

"Clown" is a song recorded by American singer Mariah Carey for her ninth studio album Charmbracelet (2002). She wrote the track with Andre Harris, Vidal Davis, and Mary Ann Tatum, and produced it with Dre & Vidal. [a] "Clown" is an answer song to the comments that rapper Eminem made about Carey in the media and on the 2002 track "Superman". In the lyrics, Carey denies rumors that their 2001 relationship was romantic and expresses regret that it occurred. She likens Eminem to a liar, a puppet, and a clown whose private personality contradicts his public image.

Contents

"Clown" received analysis from scholars who thought Carey was contending that Eminem's masculine persona was fake. Music critics considered the song a highlight from Charmbracelet and gave its production mixed reviews. They compared it to Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" (1972), Nas' "Ether" (2001), Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River" (2002), and the Pet Shop Boys' "The Night I Fell in Love" (2002). During the Charmbracelet World Tour, Carey performed "Clown" while puppeteers controlled an Eminem look-alike on stage.

Background and release

American singer Mariah Carey suffered an emotional and physical breakdown in 2001. Ensuing media coverage included rumors about a purported romantic relationship gone awry with rapper Eminem. The following year, he alluded to them in The Eminem Show song "Superman". [1] In it, Eminem disses Carey by saying he ended their relationship because she wanted a strong partnership before having sex. [2] He expounded in an appearance on the television program Access Hollywood : "The Mariah thing, yeah, that's true. Those rumors are true, and I'm not going to deny them. You know, we had somewhat of a relationship." [3]

In 2002, Eminem spoke of Carey to Rolling Stone : "I don't want to say anything disrespectful because I respect her as a singer, but on the whole personal level, I'm not really feeling it. I just don't like her as a person." [4] Carey retorted in a Dateline NBC interview: "Well, it didn't seem like that for a while, but OK. If it makes him comfortable to say that, then that's great." [3] She responded further with the answer song "Clown", [5] which Island Records released on November 20, 2002, as the seventh track on her ninth studio album Charmbracelet . [6] Carey denied an intimate relationship with Eminem while promoting the album, [1] telling USA Today , "I can still count on less than five fingers the number of men I've gone there with. And believe me, he isn't one of them." [7]

Composition and lyrics

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
"Clown"
"Clown" features Carey answering Eminem complemented by vocal harmonies and an acoustic guitar
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Carey wrote "Clown" with Andre Harris, Vidal Davis, and Mary Ann Tatum, [b] and produced it with the Philadelphia-based duo Dre & Vidal. [9] [a] Dana Jon Chappelle and John Smeltz engineered the track at Capri Studio in Capri, Italy; Right Track Studios in New York City; and The Studio in Philadelphia. Manuel Farolfi and Giulio Antognini assisted them in Capri, Paul Gregory and Dave Perini in New York, and Vince Dilorenzo in Philadelphia. Harris, Davis, and Smeltz mixed "Clown" and Bob Ludwig conducted mastering at Gateway in Portland, Maine. [10] It features background vocals by Carey and Trey Lorenz [10] and lasts for three minutes and seventeen seconds. [11] An acoustic guitar and vocal harmonies characterize the composition, [12] over which Carey sings in a rhythmic rap-influenced fashion. [13]

"Clown" is the first song in which Carey alludes to a feud [14] and aligns with a pattern of her musical output becoming more personal over time. [1] It is an answer song that addresses Eminem's comments about their relationship in "Superman". [15] [c] Expressing regret that it occurred [17] and denying that it was romantic, [18] Carey alleges Eminem lied about their time together: [19] "You should've never intimated we were lovers / When you know very well / We never even touched each other". [10] She posits him as a crying clown with shrouded sadness whose private life contradicts his public persona. Carey justifies this proposition by referring to her experiences with him. [17] During the chorus, she describes Eminem as a transitory figure whose popularity will soon decline: [17] "Who's gonna care when the novelty's over / When the star of the show isn't you anymore". [10] Toward the end of the song, Carey labels him a puppet being pulled by strings and references his fraught maternal relationship. [17] [d]

"Clown" received several scholarly analyses. In her book Eminem: The Real Slim Shady, Marcia Alesan Dawkins writes: "Carey is saying that Eminem's masculinity is a performance within and by the rap genre, and that it is based on a false foundation". [19] Vincent Stephens argues in a Popular Music journal article that the lyrics are notable because "they highlight an unusual depth of contradiction between Eminem's public masculinist rhetoric and his demure private self", which negates the hip-hop culture of authenticity. He suggests these notions are heightened because Carey is a female pop singer "representing social identities that hypermasculinity, genderphobia and sexism typically affect". [20]

Critical reception

Music critics contrasted "Clown" to other songs on Charmbracelet. They viewed it as one of the better tracks [e] and one of the few whose lyrics carry any verve. [f] Dave Ferman of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram thought "Clown" was a scant instance in which "Carey still sounds like she has something to prove". [23] Writing in Time , Josh Tyrangiel considered the track a worthy exception to the album's theme. He summarized the majority of Charmbracelet as "vague allusions to her recent problems" but considered "Clown" particularly candid. [24] In contrast, Scott Robinson of The Courier-Journal felt it was an unnecessary addition. [25] The Philadelphia Inquirer critic Tom Moon regarded Carey's "rap-inspired heat" as superior to those of rappers Cam'ron and Jay-Z on the Charmbracelet tracks "Boy (I Need You)" and "You Got Me", respectively. [26]

"Clown" was compared with similar songs by other artists. Chicago Tribune columnist Greg Kot thought the "stuttering, rapid-fire production" resembled a Destiny's Child recording. [27] Writing for Amazon.com, Jaan Uhelszki deemed "Clown" the most "compelling musical soap opera since Carly Simon's '70s roman à clef , 'You're So Vain '", and Vibe 's Lola Ogunnaike felt it equaled the impact of "Ether" (2001), a diss song by rapper Nas toward Jay-Z. [28] Craig Seymour of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution placed the track in a pattern of 2002 relationship confession songs. He contrasted it with Justin Timberlake addressing Britney Spears in "Cry Me a River". [29] Robinson viewed "Clown" as inferior to Timberlake's efforts. [25] Stephens likened it to the Pet Shop Boys' "The Night I Fell in Love" (2002) as they both challenge "Eminem's genderphobia and authenticity". [30]

The song's music and vocal production received mixed reviews. Slant Magazine 's Sal Cinquemani viewed the partnership between Carey and Dre & Vidal as a cunning choice. [31] Writing in The Province , Stuart Derdeyn dubbed "Clown" one of "the least obnoxious marriages of studio tricks and vocal histrionics" on Charmbracelet. [32] Entertainment Weekly 's Tom Sinclair described Carey's voice as "gorgeously nuanced". [33] Author Andrew Chan complimented the combination of her "lush melodic sensibilities with contemporary hip-hop's jittery cadences". [14] According to Evelyn McDonnell of the Miami Herald , the "verve is undermined by Carey's incessantly saccharine singing". [34] Stephens agreed, stating that her vocal performance makes it hard to understand the song's message. [12] He thought the music lacked intensity, as the New York Daily News' Jim Farber, who remarked the "melody matched to it is as interchangeable as most of Carey's fare". [35] Conversely, Oggunnaike considered it pleasant. [36]

Live performances

Carey sang "Clown" during the 2003–2004 Charmbracelet World Tour following fan requests online. [37] She performed it as part of a circus-themed act titled "The Marionette Show", a spin on The Eminem Show. As Carey sang "Clown" sitting down, two masked men in suits stood on stilts and controlled a female dancer wearing an Eminem-style wig and Detroit Pistons jersey with ribbons [38] while dollar signs appeared on a video screen. [39]

The live performances received generally negative reviews; some critics did not understand the Eminem references. McDonnell viewed the puppet theme as a depiction of Carey's life and felt it was unconvincing. [39] Fiona Shepherd of The Scotsman considered the segment bewildering and Deborah Hirsch of the Orlando Sentinel said it "seemed a little random". [40] The South Florida Sun-Sentinel 's Sean Piccoli deemed the act "bad children's theater"; [41] Chris Varias of The Cincinnati Enquirer thought it detracted from Carey by making her appear as a ringleader rather than a singer. [42] Questioning why she chose to perform the track, The Philadelphia Inquirer 's David Hiltbrand classified "Clown" as "some of her more misshapen and unpopular material". [43]

Credits and personnel

Recording

Personnel

Notes

  1. 1 2 Dre & Vidal is the collective name of Andre Harris and Vidal Davis [10]
  2. ↑ Tatum had been a background singer for Carey since Butterfly (1997) and was a close friend during her 2001 breakdown. [8]
  3. ↑ Carey has not acknowledged that "Clown" is about Eminem. [16] When asked about the song by USA Today , she stated: "I've known a lot of clowns. I've known a circus full of them." [7]
  4. ↑ According to Vincent Stephens, the latter is a reference to "Eminem's well-publicised legal disputes and emotional resentment toward his mother infantilising the rapper and rhetorically trapping him in a childhood characterised by a domineering mother". [17]
  5. ↑ Specifically Craig Seymour of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution , Melissa Ruggieri of the Richmond Times-Dispatch , and Tom Sinclair of Entertainment Weekly [21]
  6. ↑ Specifically Evelyn McDonnell of the Miami Herald , Jim Farber of the New York Daily News, Randy Lewis of the Los Angeles Times , and Chris Salmon of Time Out [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mariah Carey</span> American singer (born 1969)

Mariah Carey is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Songbird Supreme" by Guinness World Records, she is known for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whistle register. As an influential figure in music, she was ranked as the fifth greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Through the Rain</span> 2002 single by Mariah Carey

"Through the Rain" is a song by American singer Mariah Carey, taken from her ninth studio album, Charmbracelet (2002). It was written by Carey and Lionel Cole, and produced by the former and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The song was released as the album's lead single on September 30, 2002 by Island Records and also the first single to released by Carey's own record label, MonarC Entertainment. A shorter version was used as the ending credits theme for a 2002 Japanese drama known as You're Under Arrest. Classified by Carey as a ballad, it is influenced by R&B and soul music genres, and features a simple and under-stated piano melody, backed by soft electronic synthesizers. "Through the Rain" was meant to be an insight into Carey personal struggles throughout 2001, and lyrically talks about encouraging others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boy (I Need You)</span> 2002 single by Mariah Carey

"Boy (I Need You)" is a song by American singer Mariah Carey, taken from her ninth studio album, Charmbracelet (2002). It was written by Carey, Justin Smith, Norman Whitfield and Cameron Giles, and produced by the former and Just Blaze. The song was released as the album's second single on November 26, 2002, by Island Def Jam and Carey's own label, MonarC Entertainment. Initially, "The One" had been chosen as the second single from the album, however, halfway through the filming of a music video for it, the singer decided to release "Boy (I Need You)" instead. Considered by Carey as one of her favorites, the track is a reworked version of rapper Cam'ron's song "Oh Boy" released earlier that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bringin' On the Heartbreak</span> 1981 single by Def Leppard

"Bringin' On the Heartbreak" is a song by English rock band Def Leppard. A power ballad, it was the second single from their 1981 album High 'n' Dry. The song was written by three of the band's members, Steve Clark, Pete Willis and Joe Elliott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Know What You Want</span> 2003 single by Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey featuring Flipmode Squad

"I Know What You Want" is a song by American rapper Busta Rhymes and singer Mariah Carey, featuring verses from Rhymes' group Flipmode Squad: Spliff Star, Baby Sham, Rah Digga, and Rampage. Produced by Rick Rock, it was released on February 24, 2003 as the second single from Rhymes' sixth album It Ain't Safe No More..., released on November 26, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breakdown (Mariah Carey song)</span> 1998 single by Mariah Carey

"Breakdown" is a song recorded by American singer Mariah Carey for her sixth studio album, Butterfly (1997). In the lyrics, she describes the aftermath of a partner ending their love for the other and the trouble of hiding the pain it caused. The track features rapping by Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone, members of the group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Before they wrote and performed their raps, Carey composed the music with Stevie J and penned her lyrics. The latter pair produced "Breakdown" with Sean "Puffy" Combs. An R&B, hip hop, and hip hop soul song, "Breakdown" features keyboards, synthesized drums, and background vocals prominently. Columbia Records released it to American rhythmic contemporary radio stations in January 1998 as the third single from Butterfly.

<i>The Remixes</i> (Mariah Carey album) 2003 remix album by Mariah Carey

The Remixes is the first remix album by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, released on June 25, 2003, by Columbia Records. It is primarily a collection of remixes of some of Carey's songs: disc one is compiled of club mixes, while disc two contains Carey's hip hop collaborations and remixes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fantasy (Mariah Carey song)</span> 1995 dance-pop single

"Fantasy" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on August 23, 1995, by Columbia Records as the lead single from her fifth album, Daydream (1995). The track was written and produced by Carey and Dave Hall. It samples Tom Tom Club's 1981 song "Genius of Love". The lyrics describe a woman who is in love with a man, and how every time she sees him she starts fantasizing about an impossible relationship with him. The remix for the song features rap verses from Ol' Dirty Bastard, something Carey arranged to assist in her crossover into the hip-hop market and credited for introducing R&B and hip hop collaboration into mainstream pop culture, and for popularizing rap as a featuring act.

<i>Charmbracelet</i> 2002 studio album by Mariah Carey

Charmbracelet is the ninth studio album by American singer Mariah Carey, released in North America on December 3, 2002, through MonarC Entertainment and Island Records. The album was Carey's first release since her breakdown following the release of her film Glitter (2001) and its accompanying soundtrack album. Critics described Charmbracelet as one of Carey's most personal records, following 1997's Butterfly. Throughout the project, she collaborated with several musicians, including Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, 7 Aurelius and Dre & Vidal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charmbracelet World Tour</span> 2003–04 concert tour by Mariah Carey

The Charmbracelet World Tour was the fifth worldwide concert tour in 2003–2004 by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey in support of her ninth studio album Charmbracelet (2002). The tour started on June 21, 2003 in Seoul, South Korea, and visited several countries in Asia, Europe, and North America before ending on February 26, 2004 in Dubai. At the end of 2003, the tour placed 83rd on Pollstar's "Top 100 Tours", grossing more than $6.0 million with 25 shows from her first North American leg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eminem</span> American rapper (born 1972)

Marshall Bruce Mathers III, known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in Middle America and is regarded as among the greatest rappers of all time. His success is considered to have broken racial barriers to the acceptance of white rappers in popular music. While much of his transgressive work during the late 1990s and early 2000s made him a controversial figure, he came to be a representation of popular angst of the American underclass and has been cited as influencing many musical artists. His most successful songs on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 include "The Real Slim Shady", "Without Me", "Lose Yourself", "Not Afraid", "Love the Way You Lie", "The Monster", "Godzilla", and "Houdini".

"Mine Again" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, from her tenth studio album The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). It was co-written and co-produced by Carey and James Poyser. It was recorded at MSR Studios and Honeywest Studios, both located New York City. It is a R&B and soul inspired ballad. The lyrics revolve around the protagonist wishing for a second chance at a seemingly failed relationship. The song garnered positive reviews from music critics, praising Carey and Poyser's production and her vocal performance. Upon the release of The Emancipation of Mimi, "Mine Again" debuted on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 82, and reached a peak of number 73. In 2006, it was nominated for the Best Traditional R&B Performance at the Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oh Boy (Cam'ron song)</span> 2002 single by Camron featuring Juelz Santana

"Oh Boy" is a 2002 Grammy-nominated hip hop single by Cam'ron from his album Come Home with Me, and features Juelz Santana. The single was released through Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records, Cam'ron's Diplomat Records and Def Jam Recordings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bye Bye (Mariah Carey song)</span> 2008 single by Mariah Carey

"Bye Bye" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey for her eleventh studio album E=MC² (2008). She co-wrote the song with its producers Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen and Johntá Austin. The pop and R&B track features a piano and keyboard-driven melody. Lyrically, it is a dialogue in between Carey and her deceased father throughout the verses, and a universal salute to departed loved ones on the chorus. The song was released as the second single from E=MC² on April 22, 2008, by Island Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Obsessed (Mariah Carey song)</span> 2009 single by Mariah Carey

"Obsessed" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (2009). The song was written and produced by Carey, Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, and was released as the album's lead single on June 16, 2009, by Island Records. The song draws musical influences from contemporary R&B and hip hop, and is built around a thumping bassline. Additionally, the song is accentuated by hand claps, while Carey's voice is processed with Auto-Tune. Lyrically, the song describes Carey's dilemma regarding constant claims of a prior relationship from rapper Eminem, although he is not specifically mentioned.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Up Out My Face</span> Single by Mariah Carey

"Up Out My Face" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (2009). Written and produced by Carey, Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, it is a song which includes a marching band in its instrumentation. The lyrics for the song have been speculated to be directed at American rapper Eminem, whom Carey has a longstanding feud with since the early 2000's after his claims that they were in a relationship.

"The Warning" is a hip hop diss song written and performed by American rapper Eminem and produced by Dr. Dre as part of an ongoing conflict with singer Mariah Carey. Throughout his career, Eminem has claimed he once had a relationship with Carey, dating her for six months. Carey, however, always denied the claim. As a result, Eminem recorded a number of songs in which he rapped about the singer in a negative light, angered by her not admitting to seeing him.

"Outside" is a song recorded by American singer Mariah Carey for her sixth studio album, Butterfly (1997). She composed the music and produced the song with Walter Afanasieff. Situated within pop and soul music genres, the ballad's composition features drums, guitars, synthesizers, piano, and programming. Its lyrics, written by Carey, are about feeling a lack of belonging in the world due to one's race. They were inspired by traumatic events she experienced in her childhood as a biracial girl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Your Girl</span> 2005 song by Mariah Carey

"Your Girl" is a song recorded by American singer Mariah Carey for her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). She wrote the track with Marc Shemer, who also produced it with her under the name Scram Jones. The lyrics of "Your Girl" are about Carey confidently approaching a potential lover. She uses belting as part of her vocal performance to evoke this sentiment in her singing. The music contains disco, gospel, jazz, pop, and soul influences; some critics compared it to works by rapper Kanye West. It samples vocals and an acoustic guitar from the 2003 Adeaze song "A Life with You".

"My Saving Grace" is a song by the American singer Mariah Carey from her ninth studio album, Charmbracelet (2002). Carey co-wrote and co-produced the song with Kenneth Crouch, Trevor Lawrence, and its other producer, Randy Jackson. It became available as the album's eighth track on December 3, 2002, when it was released by Monarc Entertainment and Island Records. It is a gospel ballad. In album reviews of Charmbracelet, "My Saving Grace" was often more warmly received than the rest of the album and was generally well-liked. Carey included the song on the set list of her 2003-2004 headlining concert tour, Charmbracelet World Tour.

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 Stephens 2005b, p. 28.
  2. ↑ Stephens 2005b, p. 28; Dagbovie-Mullins 2013, p. 113; Alesan Dawkins 2013, p. 128.
  3. 1 2 NBC 2002.
  4. ↑ Bozza 2002.
  5. ↑ Dagbovie-Mullins 2013, p. 11; Stephens 2005b, pp. 27–28.
  6. ↑ Universal Music Japan; Klein 2002.
  7. 1 2 Gardner 2002.
  8. ↑ Carey & Davis 2020, p. 241.
  9. ↑ Carey 2002; Moon 2002, p. H13.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Carey 2002.
  11. ↑ Jaxsta.
  12. 1 2 Stephens 2005a, p. 122.
  13. ↑ Chan 2023, pp. 107–108.
  14. 1 2 Chan 2023, p. 108.
  15. ↑ Stephens 2005b, pp. 27–28.
  16. ↑ Fischer 2003.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 Stephens 2005b, p. 32.
  18. ↑ Dagbovie-Mullins 2013, p. 113.
  19. 1 2 Alesan Dawkins 2013, p. 128.
  20. ↑ Stephens 2005b, pp. 28–29.
  21. ↑ Seymour 2002, p. E1; Ruggieri 2002, p. D16; Sinclair 2002.
  22. ↑ McDonnell 2002, p. 10M; Farber 2002, p. 14; Salmon 2002, p. 116; Lewis 2003.
  23. ↑ Ferman 2002, p. 21.
  24. ↑ Tyrangiel 2002.
  25. 1 2 Robinson 2003, p. 4.
  26. ↑ Moon 2002, p. H13.
  27. ↑ Kot 2002.
  28. ↑ Uhelszki; Ogunnaike 2003, p. 120.
  29. ↑ Seymour 2002, p. E1.
  30. ↑ Stephens 2005b, p. 21.
  31. ↑ Cinquemani 2002.
  32. ↑ Derdeyn 2002, p. B11.
  33. ↑ Sinclair 2002.
  34. ↑ McDonnell 2002, p. 10M.
  35. ↑ Stephens 2005a, p. 122; Farber 2002, p. 14.
  36. ↑ Ogunnaike 2003, p. 120.
  37. ↑ Johnson 2003, p. 4.
  38. ↑ Fischer 2003; Elfman 2003, p. 3B; Detroit Free Press 2003, p. 2H.
  39. 1 2 McDonnell 2003, p. 4A.
  40. ↑ Shepherd 2003, p. 15; Hirsch 2003, p. E3.
  41. ↑ Piccoli 2003, p. E3.
  42. ↑ Varias 2003, p. C7.
  43. ↑ Hiltbrand 2003, p. D2.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.