Founded in Detroit in 1989, Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore and is known for its elaborate live performances. Originally known as JJ Boyz and Inner City Posse, the group introduced supernatural- and horror-themed lyrics as a means of distinguishing itself stylistically. The duo founded the independent record label Psychopathic Records with Alex Abbiss as manager, and produced and starred in the feature films Big Money Hustlas and Big Money Rustlas. They formed their own professional wrestling promotion, Juggalo Championship Wrestling, and later collaborated with many hip hop and rock musicians.
The songs of Insane Clown Posse center thematically on the mythology of the Dark Carnival, a metaphoric limbo in which the lives of the dead are judged by one of several entities. The Dark Carnival is elaborated through a series of stories called Joker's Cards, each of which offers a specific lesson designed to change the "evil ways" of listeners before "the end consumes us all". The original lineup of Insane Clown Posse was John Utsler (John Kickjazz), Joe Bruce (Violent J) and Joey Utsler (Shaggy 2 Dope). John Utsler left before Carnival of Carnage was released in 1992.
Insane Clown Posse's performance style is often described as horrorcore hip hop, which "utilize shocking (and blatantly over-the-top) narratives to give an over-exaggerated, almost cartoon-like version of urban deprivation in Detroit", according to author Sara Cohen. Bruce and Utsler describe many of their lyrics as being tongue-in-cheek. The group's early work features a raw, minimalistic sound, which later evolved into a more rock-oriented style. The group's lyrics serve as morality tales, with songs focusing on subjects such as cannibalism, murder and necrophilia. Insane Clown Posse's debut album, Carnival of Carnage, features a politically-oriented focus, criticizing elitism and prejudice against those who live in the ghetto, while the album's liner notes criticize the Gulf War. The group's lyrics have opposed racism, bigotry, domestic violence, and child abuse.
Insane Clown Posse has covered songs by Geto Boys, Sly Fox, and Above the Law. Bruce and Utsler refer to Ice Cube, Awesome Dre, Geto Boys, and Esham as influences on their own music, while Bruce has expressed admiration for Gong, Pearl Jam, and Michael Jackson. Mike E. Clark's production for the group incorporates elements such as "carnival organ riffs, power chords and shotgun blasts...banjolike plucking and Van Halen-esque guitar squeals", while Bruce and Utsler sometimes alternate between rapping and screaming. Bruce has credited pop music as an influence on some of the group's material, even terming the music "Wicked Pop". Bruce has also stated "We do our own genre of music". In his review of The Tempest, Allmusic's David Jeffries writes that Bruce and Utsler "[rap] in a carnival barker fashion that fits with their circus motif, their Insane Clown disguises, and Mike E. Clark's big top-inspired production." Insane Clown Posse has influenced similar acts, such as Axe Murder Boyz, Blaze Ya Dead Homie and Boondox.
Take Me Away
Insane Clown Posse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Violent j
Shaggy 2 dope
The insane clown posse
Will live forever
(live forever) join us
(live forever) follow me
(live forever) take my hand
(live forever) take my hand
(live forever) shangri la
(live forever) live forever
(live forever)
Here go another clown song, freaky and weird
I'm still preachin', I'm like Noah without the beard
I'm tryin a spread the facts that I know fo sho
Yet many don't believe in our carnival freak show
It's alright, tho, there's enough who do
And only time will tell if our stories are true
But for everybody here, I can promise you this
You'll never hear us laugh about the typical bullshit
Livin', all the money they got
All the ice they wear and all the people they shot
All the freaks they pull and all the cars they drive
Only we'd rap about fuckin' a beehive!
You wanna keep it real? walk out your door
That's as real as it gets from the sky to the floor
But the dark carnival will take your soul away,
And give you mystical adventure in a magical way
I live for the carnival
I'd die for the carnival
I pray for the carnival
Please take me away (take me away)
I live for the carnival
I'd die for the carnival
I pray for the carnival
Come and take me away (take me away)
Fun house, freak shows, the murder go round
Fuck how you're lookin', painted up like a clown
Loosen up, let it go, you ain't gotta be tense
Faygo flyin' everywhere, fuck makin' sense!
And that's the beauty of it, look backstage
And another group out here on the same page
Run with everybody or walk with our crew,
Stand on the moon, face the world, and say fuck you!
I ain't sittin' up, playin' that star biz
Put me in the crowd where my juggalos is
Treat me special, I'm a leave your lip draggin'
We in this together, waitin' on the same wagon
Let em laugh now, let em laugh for years
We'll see who's laughin' in the house of mirrors.
Cause that's where I'm goin', and if you're not,
Pull that other shit and hear about the ends they got
I live for the carnival
I'd die for the carnival
I pray for the carnival
Please take me away (take me away)
I live for the carnival
I'd die for the carnival
I pray for the carnival
Please take me away (take me away)
(live forever)take my hand
(forever, live forever)
Come take a journey through heaven and hell
See what we have to promise you, the story I tell
Walk hand in hand with the devil and god
Let em pull you in half, purgatory is odd.
Fuck newspapers, fuck magazines
Fuck a&rs and your ball-huggin' jeans
Fuck anybody tryin' ta change our ways
As long a six joker cards got somethin' to say
I speak for the crazy, I speak for scrubs
I speak for the thugs pissin' in your hot tubs
I speak for the people that you always say don't know how to act
We like em just like that!
Fuck your grammies, fuck your music awards
I'll strangle your host with his microphone cord
Fuck anybody that ain't down with the clown
From now until millenniums after, I'm dead in the ground
I live for the carnival
I'd die for the carnival
I pray for the carnival
Come and take me away (take me away)
I live for the carnival
I'd die for the carnival
I pray for the carnival
Please take me away (take me away)
I live for the carnival
I'd die for the carnival
I pray for the carnival
Come and take me away (take me away)
I live for the carnival
I'd die for the carnival
I pray for the carnival
Please take me away (take me away
The song "Take Me Away" by Insane Clown Posse is an anthem for their fans, referred to as Juggalos, and for those who live for the carnival lifestyle. The song opens with a proclamation that the dark carnival, which is the band's overarching thematic concept that they've used for years, will live forever. The main verses are delivered by Violent J and begin with his commentary on how the band keeps it real by rapping about the freakiest things rather than the typical things the gangsters and other rappers rap about. J reports that he's just trying to spread the facts of the carnival and that time will show if the stories he tells about it are true. For the fans or followers of the carnival he promises a mystical adventure in a magical way because the carnival has the power to take away your soul.
The chorus, sung by Shaggy 2 Dope, is a series of repetitions of "I live for the carnival, I'd die for the carnival, I pray for the carnival, please take me away." Both the verses and the chorus communicate the longing for the fun of being at the carnival, enjoying the freak shows and the murder go rounds and painting oneself up like a clown without a care in the world. The end of the song features more commentary on how the band speaks for the crazy and the outcasts and that they will continue to do so even after they are dead in the ground.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome to the dark carnival.
The Insane Clown Posse welcomes you to their dark carnival.
Here go another clown song, freaky and weird
This is another freaky and weird song about clowns.
I'm still preachin', I'm like Noah without the beard
I'm still spreading the message, like Noah without his beard.
But the dark carnival will take your soul away,
And give you mystical adventure in a magical way
The dark carnival will take you on a mystical and magical adventure and lead you away from the ordinary world.
Come and take me away (take me away)
Please take me away to the dark carnival (take me away).
Fuck how you're lookin', painted up like a clown
Don't worry about how you look, embrace being painted up like a clown.
Let em laugh now, let em laugh for years
We'll see who's laughin' in the house of mirrors.
Let people laugh at us now, but they'll see who's really laughing in the end.
Come take a journey through heaven and hell
Come on a journey that will take you through both heaven and hell.
Fuck anybody tryin' ta change our ways
As long a six joker cards got somethin' to say
We won't change for anyone, as long as our six joker cards have a message to spread.
I speak for the people that you always say don't know how to act
We like em just like that!
I speak for the people who are often criticized for their behavior, and we embrace them just the way they are.
Fuck anybody that ain't down with the clown
From now until millenniums after, I'm dead in the ground
We don't care about anyone who isn't a fan of our act, and we'll stay true to it for generations to come.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOSEPH BRUCE, MIKE E. CLARK, WILLIAM DAIL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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