Adam Carolla on Prince, The Boss and Why Smokey is the Best

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When I booked Adam Carolla for the Guest DJ Project, I was expecting it to be pure comedy.

And while he was absolutely hilarious in tearing apart people’s worship for artists like Prince and Bruce Springsteen (instead of artists he feels are more deserving, like John Hiatt), he was surprisingly sentimental, and chose songs with real meaning for him throughout his life and career.

Before I knew it, I was tearing up listening to him talk about the tenderness of the Jayhawk’s “Blue”.

He also shared the song that prompted him to pursue his comedy dreams (Boston’s “Peace of Mind“) and his favorite Motown cut.

On Smokey Robinson’s “Tears of a Clown”

“I just think it’s the best R&B song ever created. And it’s just always been one of my favorite, not just Motown songs, but just a perfectly crafted pop song.

It gets kind of lost in a shuffle of a million great Motown songs, in a bygone era, but listen to Smokey Robinson’s voice, listen to the arrangement of the song and tell me if you can find one that is better.”

Listen to the full 10-minute show below and download here!

Adam Carolla Guest DJ Project Tracklist:

  1. John Hiatt – “Dust Down A Country Road”
  2. The Jayhawks – “Blue”
  3. Boston – “Peace of Mind”
  4. Midnight Oil – “Blue Sky Mind”
  5. Smokey Robinson – “Tears of a Clown”