Class Clown
Encyclopedia
Class Clown is the third comedy album released by American comedian George Carlin
. It was recorded May 27, 1972 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
in Santa Monica, California
, and released in September.
At the time he was relatively well-known for tame satirical routines about the entertainment industry. His previous album FM & AM
released the same year, showed that he was already drifting towards counter-culture icon, but Class Clown proved a landmark. Besides musings about his youth, the album featured strongly directed remarks against the Vietnam War
and his attachment to taboo topics. The highlight of the album is easily the concise "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television
", which became the focus of government harassment in the year that followed, and, perhaps not coincidentally, Carlin's most famous calling card. Carlin would continue to explore the use of profanity
for the rest of his career. Apart from this segment, Class Clown is Carlin's only profanity-free album since 1971.
In the liner notes, Carlin dedicates the album to Lenny Bruce
, "for taking all the risks". He also lists all the nuns and priests that worked at Corpus Christi School
which he had attended as a child, and who are spoken of at length through the album. In a 2004 appearance on Inside the Actors Studio
(episode 1013), Carlin explained that, "I wanted people to know that the disrespect that I had for the dogmatic aspect, and for the inconsistency, and in a lot of cases the cruelty of Catholic doctrine, was tempered with an affection and a gratitude that I had for this wonderful setting that I considered like a garden... where they let me grow... be a creative person and think for myself there, so I kind of wanted to kind of illustrate that, and go, thanks and no thanks".
Class Clown was reissued by Atlantic Records
in 2000. It was also included as part of the 1992 Classic Gold
collection, and The Little David Years (1971-1977)
box set in 1999.
On June 22, 2008, Carlin died of heart failure in Santa Monica, the same city where he recorded the album.
George Carlin
George Denis Patrick Carlin was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor and author, who won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums....
. It was recorded May 27, 1972 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium is a multipurpose convention center in Santa Monica, California owned by the City of Santa Monica. It was built in 1958 and designed by Welton Becket....
in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
, and released in September.
At the time he was relatively well-known for tame satirical routines about the entertainment industry. His previous album FM & AM
FM & AM
FM & AM is an album by American comedian George Carlin. This album was originally released in 1972 on the Atlantic Records subsidiary label Little David Records, later reissued on Carlin's Eardrum Records label...
released the same year, showed that he was already drifting towards counter-culture icon, but Class Clown proved a landmark. Besides musings about his youth, the album featured strongly directed remarks against the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and his attachment to taboo topics. The highlight of the album is easily the concise "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television
Seven dirty words
The seven dirty words are seven English language words that American comedian George Carlin first listed in 1972 in his monologue "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television". The words include: shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits...
", which became the focus of government harassment in the year that followed, and, perhaps not coincidentally, Carlin's most famous calling card. Carlin would continue to explore the use of profanity
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
for the rest of his career. Apart from this segment, Class Clown is Carlin's only profanity-free album since 1971.
In the liner notes, Carlin dedicates the album to Lenny Bruce
Lenny Bruce
Leonard Alfred Schneider , better known by the stage name Lenny Bruce, was a Jewish-American comedian, social critic and satirist...
, "for taking all the risks". He also lists all the nuns and priests that worked at Corpus Christi School
Corpus Christi Church (New York City)
The Church of Corpus Christi is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at 533-535 West 121st Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenues in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan, New York City...
which he had attended as a child, and who are spoken of at length through the album. In a 2004 appearance on Inside the Actors Studio
Inside the Actors Studio
Inside the Actors Studio is a series on the Bravo cable television channel, hosted by James Lipton. It is produced and directed by Jeff Wurtz; the executive producer is James Lipton. The program, which premiered in 1994, is distributed internationally by CABLEready and is broadcast in 125 countries...
(episode 1013), Carlin explained that, "I wanted people to know that the disrespect that I had for the dogmatic aspect, and for the inconsistency, and in a lot of cases the cruelty of Catholic doctrine, was tempered with an affection and a gratitude that I had for this wonderful setting that I considered like a garden... where they let me grow... be a creative person and think for myself there, so I kind of wanted to kind of illustrate that, and go, thanks and no thanks".
Class Clown was reissued by Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in 2000. It was also included as part of the 1992 Classic Gold
Classic Gold (George Carlin album)
Classic Gold is an album by American comedian George Carlin, released on October 27, 1992 on Atlantic Records. It contains the comedian's first three gold albums in their entirety: FM & AM , Class Clown and Occupation: Foole .-Disc 1:# Shoot# The Hair Piece# Sex in Commercials# Drugs#...
collection, and The Little David Years (1971-1977)
The Little David Years (1971-1977)
The Little David Years is a box set by American comedian George Carlin. It consists of his six solo albums for the Little David record label, with an additional CD of previously unreleased bonus material...
box set in 1999.
On June 22, 2008, Carlin died of heart failure in Santa Monica, the same city where he recorded the album.
Side one
- "Class Clown" – 16:06
- "Wasted Time - Sharing a Swallow" – 2:27
- "Values (How Much Is That Dog Crap in the Window?)" – 5:16
Side two
- "I Used to Be Irish Catholic" – 2:57
- "The Confessional" – 4:12
- "Special Dispensation - Heaven, Hell, Purgatory and Limbo" – 3:41
- "Heavy Mysteries" – 1:59
- "Muhammad Ali - America the Beautiful" – 4:35
- "Seven Words You Can Never Say on TelevisionSeven dirty wordsThe seven dirty words are seven English language words that American comedian George Carlin first listed in 1972 in his monologue "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television". The words include: shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits...
" – 7:03
Personnel
- Peter Abbott – editing, remixing
- Barry Feinstein – photography, production design