Clown

Album: Charmbracelet (2002)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In Eminem's single "Superman" he disses Mariah after they broke up (though she denies they were ever together). He also threatened to use a "mushy" voicemail she left on his cell phone. Following these events, Mariah felt it was only fair that she should get her chance to reply, and did so on this track, where Mariah blasts Eminem for being "A puppet show" who "Often sits at home alone and cries, cries, cries, cries." >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Jessica - Milan, OH
  • Carey initially reached out to the rapper to appear on her Charmbracelet album, which is when their alleged fling began. After he made negative comments about their relationship in a Rolling Stone interview, saying he didn't really like her as a person, the incensed singer responded with "Clown."
  • Charmbracelet, which doesn't feature any actual contributions from Eminem, is Carey's ninth studio album and her first release through Island Records. The singer had left Sony Music for a lucrative deal with Virgin Records, which fell through after her Glitter project bombed. Debuting at #3 in the US, Charmbracelet was a modest hit that helped her regain her footing, but she truly came back with her next album, the multi-million-seller, The Emancipation Of Mimi.
  • Speaking in a 2024 Buzzfeed interview, Carey said she thinks "Clown" is the most underrated of all the songs she's recorded. "Just because, not everybody knows it, and I like that song," she explained. "I think it's clever and pretty."

Comments: 2

  • Johnny from Los Angeles, CaBad song alert! Randomness ahaed! {Transmission- Lola}
  • Candice from Vancouver, CanadaIn this song Mariah sounds like she's rapping. This song has the f-word in it, so she's dissing Eminem.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Chris Tomlin

Chris TomlinSongwriter Interviews

The king of Christian worship music explains talks about writing songs for troubled times.

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About Transgenderism

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About TransgenderismSong Writing

A history of songs dealing with transgender issues, featuring Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Morrissey and Green Day.

Phone Booth Songs

Phone Booth SongsSong Writing

Phone booths are nearly extinct, but they provided storylines for some of the most profound songs of the pre-cell phone era.

Ramones

RamonesFact or Fiction

A band so baffling, even their names were contrived. Check your score in the Ramones version of Fact or Fiction.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s EditionMusic Quiz

You know the scenes - Tom Cruise in his own pants-off dance off, Molly Ringwald celebrating her birthday - but do you remember what song is playing?

Bryan Adams

Bryan AdamsSongwriter Interviews

What's the deal with "Summer of '69"? Bryan explains what the song is really about, and shares more of his songwriting insights.