I am an Asian guy born in the 80s and grew up with this. I listened to the Motown or oldies radio station. My dad listened to this, as well. I will also play this for my kids, as well.
Me too...first heard it in 1972 @ *Sneha Yatra* three days of ☮️❤🎶🎤🎸🎹🥁 *Woodstock Indian version* and it still keeps playing in my head...my all time favourite song
I'm only 40 but I was raised by my grandma and she always played smokey and I fell in love with all his songs, it's like poetry to ur soul and the tunes are great. I would love to meet smokey in person and take a picture with him. He's one of motown' s greatest artists.
I'm 60 and my mom and dad had us 4 girls when mom was 16 19,20 21 we grew up listening to 50-60 music r&b pop county soul you name it I would list to the garbage today I don't own a radio and haven't in 20 yrs
My ex boyfriend I was with for 8 years, two decades ago, used to sing this to me. I'd break up with him because he couldn't handle his drink, then take him back because he'd pester me. Then I'd had enough and walked away for good. He passed away in 2019. He was a troubled man, but he worked hard and he was a good step father to my son. I never stopped loving him. I was so upset to find out he'd passed away. Rest In Peace, Paul x 💔😢
These lyrics are incredible the openiness talking about depression in such a cheerful way to mask it is so sad, the tears of a clown when no one is around,
My favorite thing about this song is how the tune illiterates exactly what he’s singing. To the average ear it sounds so upbeat and happy, but when you listen to the lyrics it’s actually really sad
I agree with you it is a sad song, it's about heart break, but the tunes are so great and like u say so upbeat you don't realize it. His songs are like poetry, love songs about happiness but also about sadness too. I bet smokey back in his days was a very romantic man.
Well you are so right. Many of us get so caught up in the music that we ignore the lyrics. I love music so much that I may like the lyrics but dislike the music and vice versa. I miss music like this. I love music that also has lyrics that are good too.
One of the greatest songs of all time! Poetic! Kind of melancholy both sad and glad at the same time. The line “when you decided to go” just tears your heart out! And the backup singers sing” why did you go? And there’s no answer. You can feel the pain of being left behind and alone. And what’s sadder than a clown crying? Nothing! Smokey Robinson proved he is one of Motown’s great songwriters along with Holland Dozier Holland by writing this classic song. And he has that velvety smooth voice that is one of a kind! Long live Smokey Robinson!
yes. very special clever song. i love that it camyouflages the saddness. ive knownthis song forever but until i took some shrooms that it fook it to a whole another level.
They just don’t write songs like that anymore. That’s truly sad. Especially for the younger folks. So much wisdom and truth along with heartfelt emotions in older music. One can learn lots from them. Enjoy , and May we all find some type of peace in our sadness. After all , we are merely human. Blessings to all that read this ❤️
@@sunryse111 So very true. I had to look Pagliacci up! (It’s an Italian opera about...you guessed it; a clown. Evidently a sad clown.) Only writers for Smokey Robinson could work that into a song. Amazing!
@@andrewpower8357 no he wasn't. Unless you're referring to something in regards to the music. Stevie wrote NONE of this. Smokey gets the full credit. Lol
@@mikeparker3865 Yeah, I agree. You take a nap thinking it will help. You'll wake up feeling your old self again. But no. You wake feeling as bad as ever. And each day feels slightly worse ....
One of my childhood favorites! Fast forward to 1987 and ABC released their hit on the album Alphabet City: “When Smokey Sings”. It became another favorite. When a good song is from, or about Smokey Robinson, it’s bound for greatness!
I agree although this technique was perfected in Mozart's 18th century operas. This song is quite on par with such masterworks. There is even an opera reference in the song as "Pagliacci" is the main character of an opera I believe written in the 19th century by Leoncavallo.
My favorite Motown song. I had no idea Stevie Wonder did the music, which I always thought was what made this such an interesting song. Classic stuff. It sure was great growing up in that era, just 100 miles from the home of Motown. Thanks, Mr. Gordy, for making the 60s such an enjoyable time.
I know about the Stevie Wonder link. I absolutely HATE his music, with few exceptions. This, of course, is the chief among them now that I know he wrote the arrangement. It doesn't have that Stevie Wonder sound. (Thank God, lol!)
Who in the hell would dislike this video? May I suggest someone who clearly has no ear for music at its absolute best. It really is up there in the top 5 greatest motown records EVER
god i love the soul music from the 60s and 70s and was lucky enough to been raised in detroit , and detroit just had it going music wise at this time and the big three gm ford and chysler were putting out some great cars,great time to be alive
Raymond was here & he loves Audrey Lynn Fee....she is actually typing this for him as he watches....we are so in LOVE, I want to learn more songs u enhoyvk ray...sincerely tour love Audrey lynn♡♡♡♡♡ forever and ever♡♡♡♡ so glad we have eachother♡♡♡♡
I was truly an idiot when I was a kid...failing to appreciate music this rich is just sad and stupid !?! The lyrics in this song are really complex and intricate - to deliver them as smoothly as Smokey does is only matched by the sheer quality of word choices....this is truly a masterpiece song !!!!
Wow - I'm impressed with the richness and complexity of the lyrics in this song - this is SMARTER music than I ever gave credit for when I was younger and stupid...thanks for posting this !!!!
I just saw Smokey on the Jennifer Hudson show giving the history of this song, and I had to come listen to it. I must say that I can identify with the sadness of the clown.
TODAY IN MUSIC HISTORY: December 12, 1970 - 48 Years Ago Today: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles began a two-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart with their single, "The Tears Of A Clown." After 35 Hot 100 singles, this Robinson-Henry Cosby-Stevie Wonder-penned song was the group's 36th entry which finally made it to the top of the chart. [12/12/2018]
Did James Jamerson play bass on this song? Also, did the other Funk Brothers play on this song? I know they played on a huge number of Motown songs for various artists. Just wondering if they played on this one.
It amazes me that a 16 year old blind black kid( come on, even Stevie Wonder could see where I was going with that one) not only wrote so profoundly about love and loss but how did he come to know about Pagliacci? I can't imagine most 16 having a clue.
@@lucilledelorme A lot of songs back then had very intelligent lyrics that often went over the heads of teenage listeners. Tom Springfield, who wrote "The Carnival is Over" for The Seekers referenced Pierrot and Columbine, who, along with Punch and Judy had their origins in an Italian art form going back almost 400 years. And when Trevor Peacock was stuck for a third verse for his song "That's What Love Will Do" (a chart hit for Joe Brown in 1963), he raided the works of Shakespeare, taking the line "put out the candle and tomorrow it burns bright again" from Othello. Who knew that!
,As one who cares,I came to listen to this song to get away from the Bull shit. Even though this was written in the thick of Vietnam. So exactly what does this song have to do with todays politics?? 🤔
Oh slowly Vic, i got to go to the main immigration office in Cagayan De Oro on Wednesday to get an "Exit Clearance certificate" and without one they won't let me leave lol.. It's a long journey but i must have it..
"...just like Pagliacci did...." I had to look it up. And I never would have remembered that name from the song without the help of that video with lyrics....."A dramatic tale of love and betrayal, Pagliacci revolves around a commedia del arte troupe. Canio and Nedda are married, and the leads in the troupe along with Tonio and Beppe, however Nedda is secretly having an affair with Silvio. ... During a performance, Canio confronts Nedda, and stabs her."
Word of God is you live for the world YOU will Reap what you have sown we beg you please Repentance prayer Father God I bow before you I repent of all my sins I accept your son jesus christ as my savior Amen
Gary Frazier Can’t say with 100% certainty, but I think it was Hank Cosby. Stevie wrote the actual melody and Hank produced and arranged the instrumental track. Smokey then added the lyrics. The opening and interlude riff with the upbeat piccolo and melancholy yet comical bassoon playing simultaneously perfectly mirrors the glad/sad dichotomy expressed in the lyrics. It is a stroke of arranging genius regardless of who came up with the idea.
You made just one mistake in the lyrics (which really doesn't matter cause it says the same thing anyway). The line: "oh honey to shield my pride I try" Should read: "in order to shield my pride I've tried". I could always hear the "in order" part of this sentence clearly from day one. But I never knew if the last part of this sentence was "Im trying" or "I try" or " I've tried" until today after I watched one of his videos and read his lips closely: he said "I've tried" I just want it to be perfect. Lol. It's such a PERFECTLY written song. So perfect and seamless the lyrics are. SO PERFECT. What a song! 🎵 IN ORDER TO SHIELD MY PRIDE I'VE TRIED TO COVER THIS HURT WITH A SHOW OF GLADNESS 🎵
Many years ago I was told once by a close friend that I was the happiest person they knew..little did they know that just an hour before I was in my weekly therapy with a psychiatric nurse..putting a happy clown face on worked well 🤡
@ashonte reed I can't really count all of the times but I can tell you one of the worst. It's December 1978 and I show up at a bank Xmas party because I had a dog on a leash type LOVE for this Eastern European girl name of Valerie (fellas, girls named Valerie, I mean EVERY Valerie, is Mysterious, is Beautiful/ Sexy...and they're KIND but they will carve out your heart with a fingernail because you presumed you had a place in line for her affections. So, Xmas party and Valerie walks with that way that Eastern European girls have (they got like a belly dancer gyroscope in the walk, I mean it) over and under the mistletoe...before I can get up there's this swarthy guy, a construction contractor, muscular, hairy chest, handsome and here I am with my skeleton caved in chest...I looked like decoration on a damn wedding cake! He took (MY) Valerie in his arms and gave her an open mouth kiss!! Everyone was drunk (that's the way Xmas office parties were in the day!) and Val licked her full, sexy lips and mouthed the words "Good Kisser" to Laurie, her best friend. I could've gone up and at least TRIED...but my bitch ass left the party and got in my sorry ass no brakes '71 Maverick...I KNOW that dude that kissed her must've drove at least a Mustang...and drove home in the still mild Tampa Bay night. I turned on the radio, a.m. only for my broke ass and what came on the radio? it wasn't "Tears of a Clown"...It was WORSE---as if on CUE, the opening fuzz notes to "Have You Seen Her" came on and I had to pull that damn car over and cry like I was a 5 years old. Well, I loved this girl so much I got my shit together and did a full court press to win her heart...and I DID!! We are now just celebrated our 40th anniversary this October just passed. Fellas, if you KNOW a certain girl is the ONE? DO NOT GIVE UP (I mean unless she says, "Like, are you following me?" You might have to marry that girl who always dug you with the hunchback and lazy eye.
IN ORDER to shield my pride I try to cover this hurt with a show of gladness. For 50 years I thought the word "hurt" was "earth." I guess both make sense, hurt more so.
One of my favorite clips from The Sopranos. AJ gets his heart broken: Tony: You know, you’re not the first person to feel like this AJ! A multi-billion dollar industry exists today because of how you’re feeling right now. AJ: Pharmaceuticals? Tony: No, music! You know, Tears of a Clown
Smokey Robinson is one of the greatest song writers/poets/lyrical geniuses of our time.
Amen. Even with all the credit he's given, he still deserves more.
actually Stevie wonder wrote the track to this and smokey came up with the lyrics!
@@simonphoenix5768 Wow! Thanks!
@@simonphoenix5768 oh cool! I had no idea. Thank you for sharing. 👍🏽😊
@@PortiaJay1 sure thing I found it out from this smokey interview!
th-cam.com/video/XlVQ8XuSrSA/w-d-xo.html
I am an Asian guy born in the 80s and grew up with this. I listened to the Motown or oldies radio station. My dad listened to this, as well. I will also play this for my kids, as well.
I will never tire of hearing this song. Pure Motown perfection.
True!
Me too...first heard it in 1972 @ *Sneha Yatra* three days of ☮️❤🎶🎤🎸🎹🥁 *Woodstock Indian version* and it still keeps playing in my head...my all time favourite song
It's a great FN somg
Walt you ate like totally SPOT ON. EVERYTIME!
Amen to this! Smokey is one helluva songwriting genius. He's a pure Genius. God bless you, Mr. Robinson. 🙏🏻👊🏾
I'm only 40 but I was raised by my grandma and she always played smokey and I fell in love with all his songs, it's like poetry to ur soul and the tunes are great. I would love to meet smokey in person and take a picture with him. He's one of motown' s greatest artists.
I hope that one day you achieve your ambition, Latasha.
I'm 60 and my mom and dad had us 4 girls when mom was 16 19,20 21 we grew up listening to 50-60 music r&b pop county soul you name it I would list to the garbage today I don't own a radio and haven't in 20 yrs
My ex boyfriend I was with for 8 years, two decades ago, used to sing this to me. I'd break up with him because he couldn't handle his drink, then take him back because he'd pester me. Then I'd had enough and walked away for good. He passed away in 2019.
He was a troubled man, but he worked hard and he was a good step father to my son. I never stopped loving him. I was so upset to find out he'd passed away.
Rest In Peace, Paul x 💔😢
A very touching comment. Thank you, pf.
He tried😢
These lyrics are incredible the openiness talking about depression in such a cheerful way to mask it is so sad, the tears of a clown when no one is around,
Nice comment, sir. Thank you.
This is how I've been living my life for the past year...the tears of a clown... especially when there's no one around
My favorite thing about this song is how the tune illiterates exactly what he’s singing. To the average ear it sounds so upbeat and happy, but when you listen to the lyrics it’s actually really sad
I agree with you it is a sad song, it's about heart break, but the tunes are so great and like u say so upbeat you don't realize it. His songs are like poetry, love songs about happiness but also about sadness too. I bet smokey back in his days was a very romantic man.
Great observation! On the surface, it's a happy beat. But, then if you focus, you can hear the downbeat....
The juxtaposition is everything ❤❤❤
Well you are so right. Many of us get so caught up in the music that we ignore the lyrics. I love music so much that I may like the lyrics but dislike the music and vice versa. I miss music like this. I love music that also has lyrics that are good too.
That’s me. Mastered the art of fake happy.
What a song…it simply gets no better than this. Perfection.
One of the greatest songs of all time! Poetic! Kind of melancholy both sad and glad at the same time. The line “when you decided to go” just tears your heart out! And the backup singers sing” why did you go? And there’s no answer.
You can feel the pain of being left behind and alone. And what’s sadder than a clown crying? Nothing!
Smokey Robinson proved he is one of Motown’s great songwriters along with Holland Dozier Holland by writing this classic song. And he has that velvety smooth voice that is one of a kind!
Long live Smokey Robinson!
yes. very special clever song. i love that it camyouflages the saddness. ive knownthis song forever but until i took some shrooms that it fook it to a whole another level.
They just don’t write songs like that anymore.
That’s truly sad.
Especially for the younger folks.
So much wisdom and truth along with heartfelt emotions in older music.
One can learn lots from them.
Enjoy , and May we all find some type of peace in our sadness.
After all , we are merely human.
Blessings to all that read this ❤️
Nice comment - thanks, Andrew.
One of the most beautiful songs i know. LOVE IT
I don't know about "Beautiful". But it's good.
The lyrics from this music era was creative and truly the best of all time!!!
Lyrical perfection.
True. Smokey Robinson has been consistently underrated as a pop lyricist.
@@sunryse111
So very true. I had to look Pagliacci up! (It’s an Italian opera about...you guessed it; a clown. Evidently a sad clown.) Only writers for Smokey Robinson could work that into a song. Amazing!
@@dadyrocks49 Smokey could work some very unusual words into his songs; a depth of thinking not often found in "pop" music.
Stevie Wonder was a co writer on this.
@@andrewpower8357 no he wasn't. Unless you're referring to something in regards to the music. Stevie wrote NONE of this. Smokey gets the full credit. Lol
Poetry both in lyrics and music.The very best
الشعر والسطور التى كتبها اسموكى فى منتهى الرقة والاحساس وتعبر عن مشاعر انسانية غاية فى الروعه
For a seriously depressed person,this song will always make you cry- The Tears of a Clown...😢
The most brilliant lyrics I’ve ever heard.
I love Smoky Robinson. He is so talented and his music is timeless
Thank you fir all the great music 🎶
Smiles, how are you doing?
I am good. How are you?
@@lauriegray8437 I'm doing perfectly fine, where are you from?
My favorite all time Motown song!!!!!!!!! Gosh I miss Detroit and the Motown sound.
It's still all here on YT, Mike!
@@sunryse111 Thanks. It is. I just wish I could transfer back in time to enjoy it as a young man again. It stinks getting old!
@@mikeparker3865 Yeah, I agree. You take a nap thinking it will help. You'll wake up feeling your old self again. But no. You wake feeling as bad as ever. And each day feels slightly worse ....
One of the most beautiful songs of all time and the orchestration would make the old masters applaud
One of my childhood favorites!
Fast forward to 1987 and ABC released their hit on the album Alphabet City: “When Smokey Sings”. It became another favorite. When a good song is from, or about Smokey Robinson, it’s bound for greatness!
Great Great son! Loved it
Motown Magic...to take such a sad lyrics and pair it with such a happy beat...genius
Very true
I agree although this technique was perfected in Mozart's 18th century operas. This song is quite on par with such masterworks. There is even an opera reference in the song as "Pagliacci" is the main character of an opera I believe written in the 19th century by Leoncavallo.
My favorite Motown song. I had no idea Stevie Wonder did the music, which I always thought was what made this such an interesting song. Classic stuff. It sure was great growing up in that era, just 100 miles from the home of Motown. Thanks, Mr. Gordy, for making the 60s such an enjoyable time.
I know about the Stevie Wonder link. I absolutely HATE his music, with few exceptions. This, of course, is the chief among them now that I know he wrote the arrangement. It doesn't have that Stevie Wonder sound. (Thank God, lol!)
@@RUDYNATACHA
Why in the world do u hate Stevie Wonders music??
Great song...has depth!
My favorite song of all time!
The music score is wonderful, I love the oboe in it.
Surely this song is the pinnacle of Motown music
the music track from stevie wonder combined with smokeys voice and lyrics is pure heaven
Oh my....what a voice! This guy sings like an angel.
A truly remarkable talent.
Great song God bless you sweetie 💜 I luv the WORDS and MUSIC 🕯️❄️❄️🎶🌩️⚡🌧️💜👄✨🕯️
Smiles, how are you doing?
Who in the hell would dislike this video? May I suggest someone who clearly has no ear for music at its absolute best. It really is up there in the top 5 greatest motown records EVER
Well said, Jazzy. There are some sad people out there!
god i love the soul music from the 60s and 70s and was lucky enough to been raised in detroit , and detroit just had it going music wise at this time and the big three gm ford and chysler were putting out some great cars,great time to be alive
Great Song ! Smokey baby.
Woke up to this at 3 A.M❤
In your dreams or on an invading radio?
One of my favorites ❤❤❤
Same here, how are you doing?
Thank You Smokey
The best Motown ever!
thx smokey for the music x
Raymond was here & he loves Audrey Lynn Fee....she is actually typing this for him as he watches....we are so in LOVE, I want to learn more songs u enhoyvk ray...sincerely tour love Audrey lynn♡♡♡♡♡ forever and ever♡♡♡♡ so glad we have eachother♡♡♡♡
A beautiful sad song.Smokey killed it.Awesome lyrics!!!!!💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
Motown Magic, for sure, Victor. Hail Smokey! Thank You!
Jim
Thanks, Jim! Stay warm, my friend.
A masterpiece! Thank you, for this wonderful song.
Today is his 83th birthday. ❤️
70 years old and i still love Smokey.
I was truly an idiot when I was a kid...failing to appreciate music this rich is just sad and stupid !?! The lyrics in this song are really complex and intricate - to deliver them as smoothly as Smokey does is only matched by the sheer quality of word choices....this is truly a masterpiece song !!!!
Wow - I'm impressed with the richness and complexity of the lyrics in this song - this is SMARTER music than I ever gave credit for when I was younger and stupid...thanks for posting this !!!!
You've hit the nail, my friend. Smokey wrote some erudite and intellectual lyrics in a time of dumbed-down productions and sing-along nonsense.
I just saw Smokey on the Jennifer Hudson show giving the history of this song, and I had to come listen to it. I must say that I can identify with the sadness of the clown.
It's a sad song set to an upbeat tempo. Try to stay upbeat, Melissa. I wish you all happiness for the coming year. Victor from England.
Spending my time got me here
MMXX
present
and enjoying this song
One of the best upbeat sad songs.
The Green eyed Legend Smokey is Smokin hot
companion song is "Tracks of my tears"---both brilliant lyrically and sound production of Mowtown is brilliant
This tune's in my head this morning. Great track. Total classic. They don't make 'em like this nowadays and doubt if they ever will again somehow..
TODAY IN MUSIC HISTORY: December 12, 1970 - 48 Years Ago Today: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles began a two-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart with their single, "The Tears Of A Clown." After 35 Hot 100 singles, this Robinson-Henry Cosby-Stevie Wonder-penned song was the group's 36th entry which finally made it to the top of the chart. [12/12/2018]
Did James Jamerson play bass on this song? Also, did the other Funk Brothers play on this song? I know they played on a huge number of Motown songs for various artists. Just wondering if they played on this one.
1st favorite song. was 3 yrs old living outside Detroit w/mom. thought the intro was kind of like Sesame Street's haha
Same. 1st 45 I paid for with my own money. I thought I was the coolest.
Detroit is where Smokey is from.
Listening to this on my transistor radio walking down the gravel road when I was a kid. Good memory.
Still love this and it was on the annual Top 100 in 2 different years.
About openness and being able to be oneself and acceptance.
Grew up on this....nostalgia on all universe's...
PERFECTION ! thanks my friend.
You are welcome, Tripp!
It's so lonely and sad. Feels like he's so broken 💔
His lyrics were always hard to beat. A genius!
The Prince of my times...
2 black kitties morphed into one pretty princess and one sad clown. #trickortreat. #pinkpanther
It amazes me that a 16 year old blind black kid( come on, even Stevie Wonder could see where I was going with that one) not only wrote so profoundly about love and loss but how did he come to know about Pagliacci? I can't imagine most 16 having a clue.
Smokey wrote some very sophisticated lyrics, Lucille. But he wasn't blind.
@@sunryse111 I know they wrote it together but it still seems strange for anyone that age to reference Pagliacci.
@@lucilledelorme A lot of songs back then had very intelligent lyrics that often went over the heads of teenage listeners. Tom Springfield, who wrote "The Carnival is Over" for The Seekers referenced Pierrot and Columbine, who, along with Punch and Judy had their origins in an Italian art form going back almost 400 years. And when Trevor Peacock was stuck for a third verse for his song "That's What Love Will Do" (a chart hit for Joe Brown in 1963), he raided the works of Shakespeare, taking the line "put out the candle and tomorrow it burns bright again" from Othello. Who knew that!
¡¡Magnifica ¡. Saludos
Always loved this song, girlfriend decade to me years ago
I wish the USA could hear this song. As a country citizen I am afraid of what is happening to us. Please vote.
,As one who cares,I came to listen to this song to get away from the Bull shit. Even though this was written in the thick of Vietnam. So exactly what does this song have to do with todays politics?? 🤔
We've all been there. 😿
So sad but puts things in prospective
This Mad Note is Heavier than Metal.
Soo good. Plus Jamie Jamerson, I think.
Nope, Bob Babbitt.
Cool song
I remember an episode of the series "the Wonder years".....good times. . .
This is appropriate for how im feeling just for today
Sorry to hear that, Chrisy ...
Tears of a clown sums up my life
Best Girl/Chocolate skateboard song ever.
Excellent choice Vic, it's actually been a while since i last heard this.. Have a good day there my friend... Carl
Thanks, Carl. How's your England preparations coming along?
Oh slowly Vic, i got to go to the main immigration office in Cagayan De Oro on Wednesday to get an "Exit Clearance certificate" and without one they won't let me leave lol.. It's a long journey but i must have it..
Their best.
"...just like Pagliacci did...." I had to look it up. And I never would have remembered that name from the song without the help of that video with lyrics....."A dramatic tale of love and betrayal, Pagliacci revolves around a commedia del arte troupe. Canio and Nedda are married, and the leads in the troupe along with Tonio and Beppe, however Nedda is secretly having an affair with Silvio. ... During a performance, Canio confronts Nedda, and stabs her."
Before I read it I thought he was saying, "Just like piling out you did," lmao.
R.I.P Robin Williams 😟
Everything you have been taught, known and learned all your life is a L I E . 😞😭
Tears
Roxette - Spending My Time
Word of God is you live for the world YOU will Reap what you have sown we beg you please Repentance prayer Father God I bow before you I repent of all my sins I accept your son jesus christ as my savior Amen
This is not a comment section for religious talk ...
*NICE JOB...Thumbs way up-up--UP you are very talented & a attribute to TH-cam*
Praise indeed. Thank you for that encouragement.
Ditto....
Thanks!
reekashade come on . Earth wind and fire reasons puts this song like it shouldn't be played !
Well thank you
Small correction: at 1:22 he sings "in order to shield my pride I try" not "and honey to shield my pride I try" IMO
You are quite correct, Charles. In fact, I knew that! So why did I put up "honey"? "Senior moment"? Let's go with that, huh?
They just don’t make songs like this anymore
This was my absolute FAVORITE song for a whole year. I still crank it every time I hear it on the radio.
What I'd like to know is WHO was the genius who included a bassoon on this track...it's wonderful. Was it Stevie? Or did Hank add it in?
Gary Frazier Can’t say with 100% certainty, but I think it was Hank Cosby. Stevie wrote the actual melody and Hank produced and arranged the instrumental track. Smokey then added the lyrics. The opening and interlude riff with the upbeat piccolo and melancholy yet comical bassoon playing simultaneously perfectly mirrors the glad/sad dichotomy expressed in the lyrics. It is a stroke of arranging genius regardless of who came up with the idea.
It surely makes the song.
You made just one mistake in the lyrics (which really doesn't matter cause it says the same thing anyway).
The line: "oh honey to shield my pride I try"
Should read: "in order to shield my pride I've tried". I could always hear the "in order" part of this sentence clearly from day one. But I never knew if the last part of this sentence was "Im trying" or "I try" or " I've tried" until today after I watched one of his videos and read his lips closely: he said "I've tried" I just want it to be perfect. Lol. It's such a PERFECTLY written song. So perfect and seamless the lyrics are. SO PERFECT. What a song!
🎵 IN ORDER TO SHIELD MY PRIDE I'VE TRIED
TO COVER THIS HURT WITH A SHOW OF GLADNESS 🎵
Put it down to a "senior moment", because I know you're right.
@@sunryse111 😁👍
Deep❤️
Soul songs his so cute..
Motown Smokey Robinson and The Miracles reached No.1 at the start of the 70s Tears Of A Clown it was 1970
Thank you, Samuel. Yes, you'll notice the description box says much the same thing.
amen
Many years ago I was told once by a close friend that I was the happiest person they knew..little did they know that just an hour before I was in my weekly therapy with a psychiatric nurse..putting a happy clown face on worked well 🤡
0:08-1:07
HOW MANY TIMES YOU HAD TEARS OF A CLOWN
Too often!
@ashonte reed I can't really count all of the times but I can tell you one of the worst. It's December 1978 and I show up at a bank Xmas party because I had a dog on a leash type LOVE for this Eastern European girl name of Valerie (fellas, girls named Valerie, I mean EVERY Valerie, is Mysterious, is Beautiful/ Sexy...and they're KIND but they will carve out your heart with a fingernail because you presumed you had a place in line for her affections.
So, Xmas party and Valerie walks with that way that Eastern European girls have (they got like a belly dancer gyroscope in the walk, I mean it) over and under the mistletoe...before I can get up there's this swarthy guy, a construction contractor, muscular, hairy chest, handsome and here I am with my skeleton caved in chest...I looked like decoration on a damn wedding cake!
He took (MY) Valerie in his arms and gave her an open mouth kiss!! Everyone was drunk (that's the way Xmas office parties were in the day!) and Val licked her full, sexy lips and mouthed the words "Good Kisser" to Laurie, her best friend.
I could've gone up and at least TRIED...but my bitch ass left the party and got in my sorry ass no brakes '71 Maverick...I KNOW that dude that kissed her must've drove at least a Mustang...and drove home in the still mild Tampa Bay night.
I turned on the radio, a.m. only for my broke ass and what came on the radio? it wasn't "Tears of a Clown"...It was WORSE---as if on CUE, the opening fuzz notes to "Have You Seen Her" came on and I had to pull that damn car over and cry like I was a 5 years old.
Well, I loved this girl so much I got my shit together and did a full court press to win her heart...and I DID!! We are now just celebrated our 40th anniversary this October just passed.
Fellas, if you KNOW a certain girl is the ONE? DO NOT GIVE UP (I mean unless she says, "Like, are you following me?" You might have to marry that girl who always dug you with the hunchback and lazy eye.
IN ORDER to shield my pride I try to cover this hurt with a show of gladness. For 50 years I thought the word "hurt" was "earth." I guess both make sense, hurt more so.
❤❤
One of my favorite clips from The Sopranos. AJ gets his heart broken:
Tony: You know, you’re not the first person to feel like this AJ! A multi-billion dollar industry exists today because of how you’re feeling right now.
AJ: Pharmaceuticals?
Tony: No, music! You know, Tears of a Clown
Changaaaaaaaa!!!!
Believe in miracles.