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.
The Witch
Insane Clown Posse Lyrics
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The Witch jumped on my back last night
I couldn't breathe in it's clutch, I was frozen with fright
It went on for what seemed like hours of terror
To see the Witch's face stare in the dark at the mirror
[Violent J]
The Witch told me my girlfriend was a demon
And it's pain to the angels if I don't deliver
I sealed her off in a barrel and rolled her in the river
[Shaggy 2 Dope]
The Witch told me my left arm is possessed
So I broke it at first and then I went and confessed
But they put me in a home, the arm still wouldn't leave me alone
Finally had to chew it off at the bone
[Violent J]
The Witch told me to crawl under my house and just wait
Don't panic if I suffocate
I bit the tail off a possum down there at one point
It's so boring and it's dark but the Witch is my life
[Hook]
Something is standing in between me and my sanity
They say my Witch is a dream, morbid fantasy
I say wake the dead, wake the dead, wake 'em!
(WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE 'EM!)
I say wake the dead, wake the dead, wake 'em!
(WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE 'EM!)
[Verse - Shaggy 2 Dope]
The Witch taught me how to cut up a body
It's nasty and wretched and hella of bloody
But it's gotta get done and somebody's gotta do it
I kicked the fuckin' face in and put my knife through it
[Violent J]
The Witch jumped on me again, here we go
Layin' in my bed, I can't breathe anymo'
Layin' in my bed, I can't move anymo'
There's a demon floating in my face, clampin' my jaw
[Shaggy 2 Dope]
The Witch told me I gotta murder this one kid
'Kay well maybe the witch didn't then, but I did
With a ninja suit, crept through like a black widow
with a crossbow, stuck him in the neck like ditto
[Violent J]
The Witch told me about blood that rains
Out of the neck and what particular veins
And about murder, witnessin' death settin' in
And it ain't no Heaven that's lettin' me in
[Hook]
Something is standing in between me and my sanity
They say my Witch is a dream, morbid fantasy
I say wake the dead, wake the dead, wake 'em!
(WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE 'EM!)
I say wake the dead, wake the dead, wake 'em!
(WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE 'EM!)
[Verse - Shaggy 2 Dope]
The Witch told me to put my feet in the fire and hold on
Until everything below the knees gone
Now I'm in a wheelchair with only an arm but don't care
I can still throw my hatchet in the air
[Violent J]
The Witch got me in a predicament, it ain't good
I got somebody head posted on my hood
4:30 a.m. and we rollin' through the ghetto
Shaggy ridin' shotgun and the Witch is in the middle
[Hook]
Something is standing in between me and my sanity
They say my Witch is a dream, morbid fantasy
I say wake the dead, wake the dead, wake 'em!
(WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE 'EM!)
I say wake the dead, wake the dead, wake 'em!
(WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE 'EM!)
I say wake the dead, wake the dead, wake 'em!
(WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE 'EM!)
I say wake the dead, wake the dead, wake 'em!
(WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE 'EM!)
I say wake the dead, wake the dead, wake 'em!
(WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE 'EM!)
I say wake the dead, wake the dead, wake 'em!
(WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE THE DEAD! WAKE 'EM!)
The song "The Witch" by Insane Clown Posse paints a picture of terrifying and disturbing events that are being narrated by Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J. The lyrics describe how they have been haunted by a witch who is dragging them deeper into a frightening world of violence and brutality. Shaggy recounts how the witch jumped on his back, rendering him immobile and unable to do anything about it. Violent J relates how the witch told him his girlfriend was a demon and that he had to deliver her to the angels. When he could not, he sealed her off in a barrel and rolled her in the river.
As the song progresses, Shaggy realizes his left arm was possessed and broke it himself, but it still wouldn't leave him alone. He finally had to chew it off at the bone. They both recount how the witch continued to give them dangerous instructions, including teaching Shaggy how to cut up a body and telling Violent J to murder a kid. The witch also instructs him on how to witness death, and he realizes there is no heaven that will let him in. The song ends with the haunting refrain, "Something is standing in between me and my sanity," as they plead to "wake the dead."
The song portrays vivid and gruesome details of violence and despair. It showcases the influence of the witch on the artists, as she manipulates them and controls their actions in a world full of terror and horror. The song continues to be a staple of the Insane Clown Posse's live shows due to its popularity with their hardcore fanbase.
Line by Line Meaning
The Witch jumped on my back last night
I had a nightmare that felt like reality, where the Witch attacked and suffocated me
I couldn't breathe in it's clutch, I was frozen with fright
The Witch's grip was so tight that I couldn't even take a breath, inflicting immense terror on me
It went on for what seemed like hours of terror
The nightmare seemed to last an agonizingly long time, scarring me emotionally
To see the Witch's face stare in the dark at the mirror
The Witch's face appeared in my reflection, revealing the disturbing power it holds over my subconscious
The Witch told me my girlfriend was a demon
The Witch planted a twisted idea in my mind that my significant other is a malevolent entity
And all this fallin' in love shit, I'm dreamin'
The Witch convinced me that all the love I feel is just a delusion, a mere fantasy in my head
And it's pain to the angels if I don't deliver
The Witch threatens me to harm my girlfriend, warning me that not doing so will cause harm to others, such as angels or innocent souls
I sealed her off in a barrel and rolled her in the river
I killed my girlfriend and disposed of her body in a barbaric way that's difficult to trace back to me
The Witch told me my left arm is possessed
The Witch suggested to me that my arm has been taken over by something beyond my control
So I broke it at first and then I went and confessed
I broke my own arm in an attempt to rid myself of the supposed possession, then turned myself in for the act of violence
But they put me in a home, the arm still wouldn't leave me alone
They put me into a mental institution, but the feeling of possession in my arm persisted despite the confinement
Finally had to chew it off at the bone
In a desperate attempt to rid myself of the possession, I had to amputate my own arm by biting it off
The Witch told me to crawl under my house and just wait
The Witch instructed me to hide under my house and await further commands, instilling fear and paranoia in me
Don't panic if I suffocate
The Witch warned me that I might choke to death while waiting under the house, urging me to stay calm despite the potential danger
I bit the tail off a possum down there at one point
I was so desperate for survival and nourishment that I even resorted to cannibalistic behavior by biting off a possum's tail
It's so boring and it's dark but the Witch is my life
Despite the torture and isolation, the Witch is the only thing that brings meaning and purpose to my existence
The Witch taught me how to cut up a body
The Witch passed on to me the knowledge of dismembering a human corpse, something that no sane person should know
It's nasty and wretched and hella of bloody
The act of cutting up a body is gruesome, repulsive, and involves a lot of bloodshed
But it's gotta get done and somebody's gotta do it
The Witch convinced me that killing and disposing of a body is a necessary task that I'm somehow specifically qualified to perform
I kicked the fuckin' face in and put my knife through it
I murdered someone and then desecrated their corpse by stabbing and kicking it with force
Layin' in my bed, I can't breathe anymo'
The Witch attacked me again, this time causing me to feel suffocated even without physical contact
Layin' in my bed, I can't move anymo'
The Witch has completely taken over my body and left me paralyzed with fear
There's a demon floating in my face, clampin' my jaw
I'm being tormented by a supernatural force that has manifested itself as a demon, which is preventing me from speaking or expressing myself
The Witch told me I gotta murder this one kid
The Witch ordered me to kill a child, emphasizing the depravity and immorality of the entity
'Kay well maybe the witch didn't then, but I did
I might be using the Witch as a means to justify my own homicidal tendencies and immoral acts
With a ninja suit, crept through like a black widow
I killed the child with stealth and precision, disguised as a ninja in order to avoid detection
with a crossbow, stuck him in the neck like ditto
I used a crossbow to kill the child by shooting an arrow directly into their neck, emphasizing the brutality and callousness of the act
The Witch told me about blood that rains
The Witch informed me of a horrifying phenomena where blood pours down from the sky, adding to the surreal and macabre tone of the song
Out of the neck and what particular veins
The Witch provided me with specific details of a person's anatomy and how to inflict harm on the body in a grotesque manner
And about murder, witnessin' death settin' in
The Witch spoke at length about murder, instilling in me a fascination with death and a disregard for human life
And it ain't no Heaven that's lettin' me in
The Witch convinced me that my actions are so depraved and immoral that I'm not worthy of entering Heaven or experiencing any sort of redemption or forgiveness
The Witch told me to put my feet in the fire and hold on
The Witch commanded me to literally harm myself, both physically and mentally, by burning my own feet and demonstrating the alarming level of control it has over me
Until everything below the knees gone
I followed the Witch's terrible orders and ended up burning so much of my lower body that I'm now confined to a wheelchair
Now I'm in a wheelchair with only an arm but don't care
Despite the permanent physical and psychological damage that I've suffered, I still feel devoted to the Witch and carry on with its evil bidding
I can still throw my hatchet in the air
I still have enough physical capability to perform the ritualistic and violent acts that the Witch demands
The Witch got me in a predicament, it ain't good
The Witch has put me in a dire situation that's fraught with danger and consequences, signaling the possible end of my twisted existence
I got somebody head posted on my hood
I have displayed the head of one of my victims as a trophy, indicating the gruesome and inhumane nature of my actions
4:30 a.m. and we rollin' through the ghetto
The exact time and place of the song's events are revealed, adding a sense of gritty realism and grounding the horror of the story in a specific location
Shaggy ridin' shotgun and the Witch is in the middle
Other characters are introduced, including Shaggy who is portrayed as a willing accomplice to the Witch's atrocities, further highlighting how the Witch's influence extends to other people as well
Something is standing in between me and my sanity
The song acknowledges how the Witch's presence and commands have caused irreversible damage to my mental health and stability
They say my Witch is a dream, morbid fantasy
Others might consider the Witch to be a delusion or fabrication, but for me it's a nightmarish reality that's consuming my life
I say wake the dead, wake the dead, wake 'em!
Despite the terrible consequences and sense of impending doom, I still feel devoted to the Witch and its dark, macabre lifestyle
I say wake the dead, wake the dead, wake 'em!
The repeated phrase underscores the persistent and unrelenting nature of my obsession with the Witch
I say wake the dead, wake the dead, wake 'em!
The droning repetition conveys a sense of madness and desperation that's consuming me from within
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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