Gacy: Soundtrack to a Murderous Clown | Playlist 🎧

Gacy: Soundtrack to a Murderous Clown features music about and referencing infamous serial killer, John Wayne Gacy (1942 – 1994).

“I would definitely not be homosexual. I have nothing against what they do, and I don’t deny that I’ve engaged in sex with males but that I’m bisexual.”

– John Wayne Gacy, AZ Quotes

John Wayne Gacy (1942 – 1994) lived a double life, and it transcended his sexuality.  To the naïve world, until he was caught, Gacy was a productive citizen.  Notably, he dressed up as a clown, Pogo, for kids’ birthday parties. Unfortunately, that didn’t end up being harmless, even if it seemed so to most. After all, “A clown can get away with murder.”

Worth noting, Eminem references Gacy on “Unaccommodating”, the second track off of his 2020 album, Music to Get Murdered By:

“Man, I don’t see why they hate me
I’m a clown just like John Wayne Gacy...”

The real Gacy was a monster.  His house – particularly the crawlspace – was the site of utter horrendousness. It served as an unfit cemetery for most of his 33 male victims.

“I should never have been convicted of anything more serious than running a cemetery without a license.”

Adjectives such as disgusting, gruesome, and devilish don’t give the man the proper disrespect he deserves for his utter repulsiveness.  The songs featured on this particular playlist provide a most gruesome soundtrack to Mr. Gacy.  GACY: SOUNDTRACK TO A MURDEROUS CLOWN arrives as the re-upped version of the 2017 playlist, A Most Gruesome Soundtrack to John Wayne Gacy.

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1. Sufjan Stevens, “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.”

Illinois • Asthmatic Kitty • 2005

“Twenty-seven people / Even more, they were boys / With their cars, summer jobs / Oh my God / Are you one of them?” Many of the best songs come in the hands of dedicated singer/songwriters.  Sufjan Stevens is a master at his craft, hence why he delivers the perfect song about John Wayne Gacy, who Scott A. Bonn (Ph.D.), characterizes Gacy as a “Successful businessman, husband, lover of children – and psychopathic killer” in article, John Wayne Gacy: The Diabolical “Killer Clown” (Psychology Today). While Gacy was part of the LGBTQ+ community, few would want to claim such an evil man as a member of anything.

You can debate whether Gacy was bisexual as he claimed, or purely homosexual, but it wasn’t his sexuality that was the problem – it was his bloodlust. On the first verse of “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.,” Stevens paints the deceptive, eerie picture, while he summarizes his despicable, repulsiveness on the chorus. Stevens ‘goes for the kill’ on the second verse, describing the killer being “On his best behavior” when he dressed as a clown (Pogo), but ultimately “He’d kill ten thousand people / With a sleight [slight] of his hand.”  Perhaps the second chorus is the most disturbing:

“And in my best behavior
I am really just like him
Look beneath the floorboards
For the secrets I have hid.”

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2. Dog Fashion Disco, “Pogo the Clown”

Committed to a Bright Future • Razor to Wrist • 2019

“Pogo / You’re gonna burn in hell.” Seems about right, and Dog Fashion Disco “Spoke to the devil the other day / And John is doing fine” – John Wayne Gacy, of course! Dog Fashion Disco is not your traditional metal band – understatement.  According to Gregory Heaney (AllMusic), “The D.C. alt-metal band Dog Fashion Disco doesn’t play into classy decor or the music mainstream. Their vigor cites the same intensity as Clutch, Tool, and Nothingface, taking shape for the new millennium punk revival.”

Take one listen to “Pogo the Clown” from their 2003 album, Committed to a Bright Future (reissued in 2019), and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.  Initially, “Pogo the Clown” sounds more like a swing jazz joint, with comping piano and crisply articulated horns leading the charge.  The only signal that the brief, avant garde record is NOT a traditional jazz joint are the moments when the guitars take the reins, providing a clear contrast to the throwback, somewhat novel big band sound.

Of course, the bigger takeaway isn’t the style, but the lyrics and theme. John Wayne Gacy is known for performing as Pogo the Clown, something that has given so many bands, singers, and songwriters fuel for the fire. Dog Fashion Disco are no different, as they soundtrack the absolutely horrific serial killer.

“Murder victim slice and smile
Serial killer pedophile
Look into those empty eyes
You’ll know it’s your time to die
As he cuts you up in little bits
Cuts you up in little bits
Goes bop-bop on your head again
Spills your blood now he’s soaked in sin.”

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3. The Dillinger Escape Plan, “Three for Flinching (Revenge of the Porno Clowns)”

The Dillinger Escape Plan • Now or Never • 1997

“Come out to play / We’ll kiss the floor / So soft to touch / It makes you / Now death hunts / I’m the monster in your closet / When there is no front door.” Creepy. The lyrics appear on the dark, yet exuberant “Three for Flinching (Revenge of the Porno Clowns).”  The record is a deep cut from The Dillinger Escape Plan discography.  The Dillinger Escape Plan describes their styles as mathcore, metal, hardcore, progressive, experimental, rock, and, avant-garde.

Ryan Downey (AllMusic) describes the band as follows:

The Dillinger Escape Plan create maniacally intense, crushingly metallic, and decidedly hardcore punk-infused jazz-time-signature-invoking compositions displaying an unparalleled musical bravery, precision musicianship, meticulously thought-out and complex structuring, and rigorous physical endurance.

“Three for Flinching” is the sixth track off of a self-titled EP by the band that is ‘hard to come by.’ The Dillinger Escape Plan was released via defunct New Jersey hardcore label, Now or Never, originally in 1997. The creepy aforementioned lyrics seem to parallel the twistedness of John Wayne Gacy, who infamously performed as Pogo the Clown. Unfortunately, there was nothing harmless about Gacy, whose idea of playing was deadly. Just to remind you, A clown can get away with murder.  The Dillinger Escape Plan add to the horror, following the above-mentioned lyrics:

“I’m the monster in your closet
When there is no front door
The bat to dumb cranium
Angry shadows caress the world.”

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4. Macabre, “Gacy’s Lot”

Sinister Slaughter/Behind the Walls of Sleep • Nuclear Blast • 2000

“The police unveiled a gruesome find; the product of John Gacy’s crimes / They found a lot of dead boys in the plots left to rot on Gacy’s lot.” Ah, death metal band Macabre has been “delivering quality murderous music since 1985”. According to their official biography, the band, “blends elements of true crime, math rock, nursery rhymes, punk, trash, folk melodies, death metal, jazz fusion, black metal and more into an energetic, catchy, and unmistakable amalgam.” Despite the fact that Nefarious, Corporate Death, and Dennis the Menace are death metal progenitors, Jason Birchmeier (AllMusic) references the band’s underrated-ness, citing their “satirical approach.”

Enough background about the band itself – let’s get right into “Gacy’s Lot!” “Gacy’s Lot” appears on Sinister Slaughter, initially released in 1993, but reissued in 2000 as Sinister Slaughter/Behind the Walls of Sleep.  Without the lyrics in front of you, it’s nearly impossible to decipher what Macabre are singing.  A close examination of the lyrics finds the band speaking of Gacy’s utter atrocities.

“So, they dug up the lot and tore down the house to look for the
Boys that were buried about
Twenty-eight boys were found on the lot filling his living
Conditions with rot...”

Naturally, the music is dark, characterized by its jagged, angular guitars. Vocally, finesse isn’t part of the script, but Macabre paints the horrific picture of Gacy successfully.

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5. Deer Tick, “Clownin’ Around”

Divine Providence • Partisan • 2011

Providence, Rhode Island indie rockers Deer Tick get in on the Gacy action with “Clownin’ Around.” “Clownin’ Around” appears on their 2011 album, Divine Providence. The first verse of the song perfectly captures the secret life of the clown, in all its perverseness.

“Though I’ve walked down a crooked path
That don’t mean it wasn’t cursed
My feeble heart was filled with wrath
My poison mind with thoughts perverse
And the devil is living in my basement
I’m trying hard to hid him from my wife
And I know someday I’m gonna have to face him
But for now, I keep my secrets with the night.”

Amazingly, “Clownin’ Around” is in a major key.  The overall sound can be described as pleasant, while the lyrics are eerie. Even so, drummer Dennis Ryan sings with an exuberance, which only amplifies the magnitude of Gacy’s sins.  Naturally, there’s talk of pretty boys, the infamous crawl space, and the descent of the murderer into hell. One of the best touches is the clown music that appears at the end of the record.  Fitting.

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6. Hubert Kah, “Pogo the Clown”

Tensongs • Curb • 1986 

“Can I pick you up from school? / Can I take a walk with you / Pogo the clown is the man / With the funny red nose / Let me touch your virgin flesh / Why do I get soaking wet / Don’t run away little boy / Because your mammy won’t know.” Sheesh! Hubert Kah seems to nail the actions of John Wayne Gacy perfectly on “Pogo the Clown.” “Pogo the Clown” serves as the opener on the German synth-pop band’s 1986 album, Tensongs.  The aforementioned lyrics only touch the surface – it gets worse.

“Come here my child
Feel the last of my disease
Just one more game
Take the red or pink balloon
So erotic in your mouth
Provocative and sensuous
Tell me why you lie so still
I won’t hurt you I won’t kill
Pogo the clown is the man
Who will take off your clothes?
Feel the whip on naked skin
Driving him insane again.”

Simply repugnant! Musically, “Pogo the Clown” is up tempo, with a hella danceable beat – yeah, it’s disturbing.  Furthermore, the record is set in a minor key (for a majority of the time), and, expectedly, it’s quite enigmatic.

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7. Church of Misery, “Master of Brutality (John Wayne Gacy)”

Master of Brutality • Rise Above • 2001

Japanese metal band Church of Misery are no stranger to providing the soundtrack to serial killers.  Their 16-track effort, Early Works Compilation, is filled with representative killers including Charles Manson, Jim Jones, and David Berkowitz. “Master of Brutality (John Wayne Gacy)” appears on their 2001 album, Master of Brutality.  In addition to the title track referencing Gacy, other songs turn to Ed Kemper, Peter Sutcliffe, and Herbert Mullin.

The song opens with a news reports about the indictments made against Gacy.  Meanwhile, malicious guitars begin to construct the brutality prescribed by “Master of Brutality.”  Not only musically does Church of Misery capture the evil, but also lyrically.  No, they don’t offer an incredible amount of lyrical depth, but they capture the cold-hearted devilishness without question.  Among key lyrics are, “And I bury you under my feet / Blood turning to black / Beneath my skin.” Later, the misery gets even more miserable:

“You can smell of blood red
You can’t hear their cry
You can see the bodies
Harmless victim.”

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8. Fear Factory, “Suffer Age”

Soul of a New Machine • Roadrunner • 1992

“Suffer Age” commences with the element of mysteriousness – what’s new?  Fear Factory establishes an unsettled vibe to say the least. Steve Huey (AllMusic) describes the Los Angeles, California band as follows:

“Fear Factory were one of the first bands to fuse the loud, crushing intensity of death metal with the cold harshness of industrial electronics and samples, producing a more varied sonic palette with which to express their bleak, pessimistic view of modern, technology-driven society.”

Following the unsettled vibe, a sense of stability eventually develops, but it’s temporary – it never feels surefire. It’s fitting given the horrific actions of Gacy. The band characterizes him perfectly:

“Unbelievable atrocity
Hateful monstrosity...”

Yep, that’s about the size of it.  Prior to that description of the sinister clown, the death metal band “sings”:

“Compressed youthful voices
Suffer age
Below John’s floors
Spoilage
Lingering death
Gagging your fear
Dead in horror
Grizzly facial stare.”

Fear Factory certainly lives up to its name.  That’s some hella scary stuff indeed.

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9. Bathory, “33 Something”

Jubileum III • Black Mark Prod. / B.Forsberg • 1998

“Forcing his way into your ass / John Wayne Gacy is near / Flesh will rip and blood will flow / This death comes in your rear.” … Bathory claims the most graphic song on GACY: SOUNDTRACK TO A MURDEROUS CLOWN. Seems characteristic of the Swedish Band named after an infamous serial killer (The Blood Countess, Elizabeth Báthory).David Peter Wesolowski (AllMusic) notes that “harsh sound and extreme lyrics pack plenty of shock value,” specifically on 1995 album, Octagon.“33 Something” is chaotic from the jump – madness exemplified. Wesolowski also mentions this:

…Most of the tunes [on Octagon] are too chaotic, failing to make any sort of a connection even after a good number of spins.  In fact, several of them are downright painful.

As you can tell by the aforementioned lyric excerpt, the band makes a not-so-subtle reference to anal rape on the disturbing cut that appears on their 1998 album, Jubileum III. It gets even more graphic, unfortunately:

“One of 33 Something
All who were raped and bled
The last thing you will ever hear
Before you’re fucking dead is...
Drink my cum, take my rum
Blooded hole, twisted soul
Eat my shit, suck my dick
Writhe in pain and die insane.”

Raw to the nth degree.  Equally chilling, though less explicit is how Bathory sums up the experience with the serial killer.

“Once you’ve played with Mr. Gacy
There’s no way out, no release
In the attic is hell, then in the
Basement you’ll find peace.”

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10. Gorerotted, “To Catch a Killer”

Only Tools and Corpses • Metal Blade • 2003 

British death metal band Gorerotted are distinct.  According to Jason Birchmeier (AllMusic), the band “turned heads in England for its obscene, extreme style of gore metal.” Birchmeier goes on to cite Macabre as an influence. To say the least, the song titles from their 2003 album, Only Tools and Corpses, are hellish.  Some examples include “Zombie Graveyard Rap Bonanza,” “Fuck Your Arse with Broken Glass” (ouch!), and “Can’t Fit Her Limbs in the Fridge.” These song titles make “To Catch a Killer,” our highlighted record, sound tame. It’s not.

First of all, “To Catch a Killer” doesn’t just focus on John Wayne Gacy.  There are sections dedicated to Jack the Ripper, Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Fred West, and John George Haigh.  For our purposes, however, we’ll focus on Gacy, who appears first on this crazy song.  The lyrics are as follows:

“My name is John and I dress as a clown
Thirty-one bodies I’ve buried underground
A construction worker I like building flats and pulling rabbits out of hats
But under my make-up I’m a mischievous man
Killing as many boys as I can.”

Gorerotted may be insane themselves, but they paint an accurate picture of J.W.G.  Employing a dual-lead vocalist line up – Ben McCrow and Jason Merle, doubling the darkness.

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11. The Mentally Ill, “Gacy’s Place”

Gacy’s Place: The Undiscovered Corpses • Alternative Tentacles • 2004 

“Breaking down the walls / At Gacy’s Place / Trying to touch my balls / At Gacy’s Place / Trying to make me scared / At Gacy’s Place / Trying to make me aware / At Gacy’s Place.” Joey, of Fucked by Noise, provides some background on punk rock band, The Mentally Ill, and their 1979 EP, Gacy’s Place. On “Gacy’s Place,” Mentally Ill combine the best elements of the scummiest, freakiest, bounciest, and most vile first wave punk, and channels them all into something truly sleazy and deranged; something which not only went unmatched when it came out in 1979, but also which has quite possibly gone unmatched even to this day.

The Mentally Ill makes one thing clear on this frenetically paced, barely decipherable “Gacy’s Place”: “They’re fucking your kids.” That phrase is repeated a lot throughout the record.

What do we gather from analyzing the songs from this list? Clearly, A clown can [indeed] get away with murder – at least for a while.  Ultimately, Gacy was caught and sentenced to death for destroying countless number of lives beyond those 33 boys he murdered.  Executed May 10, 1994, his final words show no remorse: “Kiss my ass”.

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Gacy: Soundtrack to a Murderous Clown 🎧  [Photo Credits: Alternative Tentacles, Asthmatic Kitty, B.Forsberg, Black Mark Prod., Brent Faulkner, Curb, Metal Blade, Now or Never, Nuclear Blast, Partisan, Pexels, Pixabay, Razor to Wrist, Rise Above, Roadrunner, The Musical Hype, Unsplash]

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