I saw an interview with Smokey where he said his inspiration was the famous Pogliacchi, the popular Italian clown who always had a sad face and was the inspiration for the Italian opera. You’re right, Smokey’s songwriting skills are second to none. I have seen him several times in concert and he is spectacular. Can’t imagine music without Smokey. Thank you Airplay Beats for showcasing the great Motown music. Love your channel. You guys are the best. 👏👏🥰
"doc, I'm having a hard time-- life is just a real drag lately." "Don't sweat it, Pagliacci the clown is in town, he's a dork who sucks." "But, Doc, my n--" "--I know who you are."
F.Y.I. the origin of this song comes from Stevie Wonder, he had the " Carousel" sound arranged but had " Writers Block" & asked Smokey what he can do with it
OMG the great Smokey Robinson. An amazing American treasure who wrote more than 4,000 … that’s right, over 4,000 songs including those recorded by Motown legends Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, and others. I was lucky to meet Smokey backstage after an incredible performance in Las Vegas years ago (thanks to my special lady friend Lori). When I was introduced to Smokey, all I said was, “Mr. Robinson, I absolutely love your music.” Smokey looked at me with an enormous smile then hugged me and offered the most sincere “thank you” I have ever received in my life. An American treasure indeed. ❤
The weird horn sound is a bassoon, something you would normally only hear in a symphony orchestra. It's a double reed instrument like an oboe or English horn.
@@mikecaetano I'm sure and if you don't believe you can google it .... this is what it says ... Charles R. Sirard played the bassoon on the original Motown recording of "Tears of a Clown" by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. The song was originally released in 1967 on the album Make It Happen, but was reworked and re-released in 1970 as a single, becoming the group's first number one hit.
@@nubopgritty634 Now I definitely hear the bassoon in the ‘circus’ section. Which makes think it’s also doing the low notes in the next section, but I would also naturally assume that’s a baritone. I bet they don’t have a bassoon player for live dates…
Such a killer single! B-side is great too! I'm with you, many years later I noticed the message to the song. The Funk Brothers playing excellent as usual!
Pagliacco is a clown character from the opera "Pagliacci". Pagliacco has to mask his sadness that his wife (Columbina) is in love with someone else and is unfaithful. He continues to smile and play the clown.The tragedy is greater because the character in the opera who plays Pagliacco (Cuneo) is experiencing the same thing in real life. Incidentally, you guys should follow this up with The Beat's (aka The English Beat) two-tone ska cover.
The circus music intro is a brilliant touch. And then it comes back. I believe it's a piccolo in the lead or maybe a clarinet? Pagliacci is an Italian opera featuring a clown. Thanks for your reaction. These Motown Monday's are fantastic.
When I used to DJ this song filled the floor every single time! There was never a doubt if the crowd was wavering play some smoky! Metro Detroit, love, smoky he was the smoothest, the coolest, the king of Motown!
Motown feels like yesterday growing up in Detroit in 1970’s. It evokes so many emotions and memories of my youth instantly. Love Smokey and so much more from Motown. Thanks for the review of a classic!
I was born in 1959 (yikes!) but my sister was 9 years older than me so I've been listening to music for as long as I can remember. My first "favorite song" was "I"m Busted" by Ray charles. But I digress. Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson. What a duo! And Smokey was a tremendous talent. Add The rest Of The Miracles and the Motown backing band and you have a hit making machine!
I’m a 63 year old white woman, I thank our mom everyday, for raising us 6 kids on this type of music. Even took us to a couple concerts of these groups. She shared it with my oldest son, & got him to love it too, he inherited her album collection. I’m also a huge LED Zeppelin fan like you guys, & have watched & enjoyed all your LZ reactions. I hope you guys try seeing Led Zeppelin’s new documentary movie out at IMAX, only on February 7th. I ordered my tickets the first day, & I can’t wait.
Smokey's lyrics are always impressive like this. Bob Dylan said he was "America's greatest poet". Check out Tracks of My Tears or his Temptations hits like My Girl or the long long Wikipedia list of hits written by him.
This track, minus the lyrics/vocals, was handed to Smokey fully recorded by Stevie Wonder who just couldn’t find a lyrical story to fit. Smokey heard the flute part at the top and imagined the circus. Unreal. There’s a great clip of him telling this story to Darryl Hall on an episode of Live at Darryl’s House.
I like how you guys notice all the things that make this song so unique. Please consider for the next Motown Monday I Cant Get Next to You by the Temptations
I don't know what the instruments are at the top on the track, but I think they invoke the sound of a circus calliope (like a pipe organ on wheels). Smokey's voice and energy is pretty stunning. Also, Pagliacci is the famous opera where the tenor sings in a clown suit crying ... there was a classic commercial where they used the tune to sing "No More Rice Crispies!"
Can you see why kids in a Jr. drum corps would did the heck out of this arrangement? .. that bass line/drum interaction the horns.. is great! Just love it. The flip side there... I Second That Emotion" is well worth a listen also. Great reaction. Thanks.
Quote is from Watchman: "Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Says life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain. Doctor says, 'Treatment is simple. Great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go and see him. That should pick you up.' Man bursts into tears. Says, 'But doctor…I am Pagliacci.' "
The Tracks of My Tears is essentially the same sentiment! He’s smiling but if you look closely you can see the tracks of his tears! Smokey been through that for real.
✨Loved Playing This So Much, We Wore Out The 45 Record! Our Dad Would Come Home From Work & Shout Out “Lower That Music!”, & We’d Say, “But Dad, It’s SMOKEY❕”✨❤️🥰❤️
You guys need to follow this up with Tracks Of My Tears by Smokey (1965). It goes hand in hand with Tears Of Clown. A Motown one/two punch on Motown Monday. Keep up the excellent reactions.
I mean Smokey wrote Cruisin' and it's a masterpiece I don't listen to enough. This one is a masterpiece too I remember hearing on the car radio and just wanting to reach out and catch the beauty. It was almost tangible.
My memory of this (and I admit my memory was damaged by a pesticide) is that Stevie Wonder and I think a producer, or arranger, came up with the music and couldnt figure out what to do lyrically, and so he handed it over to Smokey at a Motown Xmas party. "Just like Pagliacci did..." Pagliacci (spelling?) Is a character in an opera, a famous clown, which gives you an idea of Smokey's musical exposures.
And I think the strange instrument is called a calliope? Kaliope? It's a little street circus thingy. And hearing it set Smokey toward the idea of a clown.
I've been a big fan of Smokey since I was a teen. Such a great song writer and singer. I have never heard this version before. Its a very fast tempo. His later solo version is slower and I think shows off the lyrics better. I got to see him in concert years ago and he was just amazing. So glad I got to see him!
When I first heard this as a child, it was well into the 70's, if not 80's, on the radio. I came in the house and said to my dad "I just heard the most wonderful song! Who sings the one that goes The Tears Of A Clown when no one's around!?!". And he told me all about Smokey Robinson. And played me the album, lol.
I think the intro has a bassoon, flute, (maybe piccolo) and glockenspiel. The way the beats fall in this tune made it a natural for reggae and ska bands to cover. Amazing that a pop tune would have some serious grown up references in it like Pagliacci a tragic opera about comedy actor Canio who killed his wife Nedda and her lover. The word Pagliacci means " Clowns ".
Smokey was the heart and soul of Motown. He was the first person that Barry Gordy signed when Motown started in 1959! And yes the Miracles did have a woman, Smokey’s wife. Claudette, who stopped touring, but did do studio recordings.
I was 10 when this was released. It totally consumed me. The intricate rhymes, the carnival like organ, that tuba or bass sax poppin off every now and then, and a voice as smooth as Crown Royal on the rocks. I had no idea a bad relationship could make you hurt inside so bad. I had to find out who this Palliachhi (sp?) guy was, and my dad found it very strange that I would have even known the sad clown existed existed. Would have to say my favourite Smokey song. Amazing music - none of this phony shit like todays music.
Pagliacci was a character in a play in the early 1900s-the great operatic tenor Enrico Caruso would dress up as a clown as Pagliacci and perform the song Vesti La Giubba which was an extremely popular song at the time -and was the first million seller record in history.
I saw an interview with Smokey where he said his inspiration was the famous Pogliacchi, the popular Italian clown who always had a sad face and was the inspiration for the Italian opera. You’re right, Smokey’s songwriting skills are second to none. I have seen him several times in concert and he is spectacular. Can’t imagine music without Smokey. Thank you Airplay Beats for showcasing the great Motown music. Love your channel. You guys are the best. 👏👏🥰
"Just like Pagliacci did (The great pretender) \ I try to keep my sadness hid"
"Just like Pagliacci did...I try to keep my sadness hid..."
Stevie Wonder co wrote this great tune!
"doc, I'm having a hard time-- life is just a real drag lately."
"Don't sweat it, Pagliacci the clown is in town, he's a dork who sucks."
"But, Doc, my n--"
"--I know who you are."
F.Y.I. the origin of this song comes from Stevie Wonder, he had the " Carousel" sound arranged but had " Writers Block" & asked Smokey what he can do with it
I was so fortunate to have motown piping through the house throughout my childhood. Thank you Pops.
I LOVE MOTOWN MONDAYS!!! THANKS FELLAS, love your channel ❤
OMG the great Smokey Robinson. An amazing American treasure who wrote more than 4,000 … that’s right, over 4,000 songs including those recorded by Motown legends Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, and others. I was lucky to meet Smokey backstage after an incredible performance in Las Vegas years ago (thanks to my special lady friend Lori). When I was introduced to Smokey, all I said was, “Mr. Robinson, I absolutely love your music.” Smokey looked at me with an enormous smile then hugged me and offered the most sincere “thank you” I have ever received in my life. An American treasure indeed. ❤
And something like 10% of those songs are good!
The weird horn sound is a bassoon, something you would normally only hear in a symphony orchestra. It's a double reed instrument like an oboe or English horn.
Big up to the bassoon player. The girls at the beach flocked to the boy with a guitar, but meanwhile ...
Are you sure it wasn't a baritone saxophone? That's what it sounds like to me.
@@mikecaetano I'm sure and if you don't believe you can google it .... this is what it says ...
Charles R. Sirard played the bassoon on the original Motown recording of "Tears of a Clown" by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. The song was originally released in 1967 on the album Make It Happen, but was reworked and re-released in 1970 as a single, becoming the group's first number one hit.
@@nubopgritty634 Now I definitely hear the bassoon in the ‘circus’ section. Which makes think it’s also doing the low notes in the next section, but I would also naturally assume that’s a baritone. I bet they don’t have a bassoon player for live dates…
Soosoo glad I grew up when I did, with phenomenal music!!!
"When Smokey sings,,,,, I forget e-ve-ry-thing". What can you say, other than legend.
I love the way they used to start the song with a hook. AM radio in the 60's and 70's was so awesome.
A perfectly flawless song and performance. Love it.
1967......you guys are sure making me nostalgic here......mid 60s for me was beach and swimming all summer.....great stuff !!!!
Of course one of the Greatest. I was fortunate to grow up on the Motown Classics, love Motown Mondays, thank you both.
This was one of my favs back in the day and you can’t beat Smokey’s voice…❤
Such a killer single! B-side is great too! I'm with you, many years later I noticed the message to the song. The Funk Brothers playing excellent as usual!
That bass line! 😍
Babbitt plays bass on this one.
♥ Motown Mondays
Pure gold. Thanks, La and Che.
Happy New Year, La and Che. I love Smokey!! Beautiful voice.
Pagliacco is a clown character from the opera "Pagliacci". Pagliacco has to mask his sadness that his wife (Columbina) is in love with someone else and is unfaithful. He continues to smile and play the clown.The tragedy is greater because the character in the opera who plays Pagliacco (Cuneo) is experiencing the same thing in real life.
Incidentally, you guys should follow this up with The Beat's (aka The English Beat) two-tone ska cover.
Why? Their cover sucks and they have better songs that aren't covers.
ALL HAIL THE KING OF MOTOWN! Smokey is the MAN!
my parents growing up in this era passed this great music to me , grateful.
The circus music intro is a brilliant touch. And then it comes back. I believe it's a piccolo in the lead or maybe a clarinet? Pagliacci is an Italian opera featuring a clown.
Thanks for your reaction. These Motown Monday's are fantastic.
The circus theme came from Stevie Wonder. What a great combination with Smokey's song!
@@pete4988 Wow. Stevie was everywhere back in the day.
Definitely a piccolo.
I saw Smokey at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles and again at Caesar’s Palace . The Greek was amazing, warm LA night, trees swaying… great performer.
Gotta love the Motown greats!! One of my all-time favorites. Great reaction guys!
WOOOOHOOOOO!!! SOME SMOKEY!! :) GREAT TUNE, FELLAS!!!
I can see myself dancing to this one at a party in senior year October 67💫
When I used to DJ this song filled the floor every single time! There was never a doubt if the crowd was wavering play some smoky! Metro Detroit, love, smoky he was the smoothest, the coolest, the king of Motown!
Nothing makes my heart flutter like hearing Smokey's voice.
Loved this song, thanks guys!
Seen Smokey many times in concert. His vocals are still as sweet as ever. His voice makes me melt. Funk Brothers driving the sound. 💜💜💜
A great song from a great record label. Motown. 🎶🎶🎶👍
Classic song. Everything about this track is perfection.
I’m so glad you guys are diving into Motown
simply awesome...one of the songs always playing in the background of my childhood...nice one chaps👍😁
Thanks guys for Motown Mondays!! ❤😂 Great way to start the week. 😘
Motown feels like yesterday growing up in Detroit in 1970’s. It evokes so many emotions and memories of my youth instantly. Love Smokey and so much more from Motown. Thanks for the review of a classic!
Smokey is Smooth !!! Motown Forever
I heard an interview with Bob Dylan where he expressed his admiration for Smokey. His songwriting and poetry and ability to touch him deeply.
Neat. What else did you read?
Remember the TV ad back in the 70's " turn it down but dad its Smokey " 😎
One of my all-time favorite songs. One of the songs that made me fall in love with Motown.
Very nice reaction gentleman. I agree - Smokey was a great songwriter. Keep up the great reactions. 👍🏼
One of my all time favorite songs!!!
Love hearing the soundtrack of my childhood. Thanks again Gents😊
Everybody loves them some Smokey Robinson!
This stuff I grew up with. I remember my sister and I singing along with this on her transistor radio
Grew up with Motown and this was a favorite. KHJ radio L.A. would play this all the time back in the day. One of the great voices of all time.
Agree with you. Great lyrics. I've heard the song many times, but now the lyrics really shine.
The R & B I grew up dancing to. Loved the Motown Sound. ✌️❤️🎶
What a classic!
I was born in 1959 (yikes!) but my sister was 9 years older than me so I've been listening to music for as long as I can remember. My first "favorite song" was "I"m Busted" by Ray charles. But I digress. Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson. What a duo! And Smokey was a tremendous talent. Add The rest Of The Miracles and the Motown backing band and you have a hit making machine!
I always love the bass line on this one. Great tune that gets the point across very well.
Masterpiece
Ain't nobody smoother than Smokey!
That bass is sweet!❤😊
Smokey aint wokey. Great guy.
Many years ago on AM radio!
"Pagliacci is an Italian opera in a prologue and two acts, with music and libretto by Ruggero Leoncavallo" --Wikipedia
I’m a 63 year old white woman, I thank our mom everyday, for raising us 6 kids on this type of music. Even took us to a couple concerts of these groups. She shared it with my oldest son, & got him to love it too, he inherited her album collection. I’m also a huge LED Zeppelin fan like you guys, & have watched & enjoyed all your LZ reactions. I hope you guys try seeing Led Zeppelin’s new documentary movie out at IMAX, only on February 7th. I ordered my tickets the first day, & I can’t wait.
Smokey's lyrics are always impressive like this. Bob Dylan said he was "America's greatest poet". Check out Tracks of My Tears or his Temptations hits like My Girl or the long long Wikipedia list of hits written by him.
Ooooo Motown!!!!❤❤❤
This track, minus the lyrics/vocals, was handed to Smokey fully recorded by Stevie Wonder who just couldn’t find a lyrical story to fit. Smokey heard the flute part at the top and imagined the circus. Unreal.
There’s a great clip of him telling this story to Darryl Hall on an episode of Live at Darryl’s House.
Great tune! Love classic Motown!
I like how you guys notice all the things that make this song so unique. Please consider for the next Motown Monday I Cant Get Next to You by the Temptations
I used to book travel for universal music and booked Smokey - I was so excited and my daughter had no idea so I had to educate her!
I don't know what the instruments are at the top on the track, but I think they invoke the sound of a circus calliope (like a pipe organ on wheels). Smokey's voice and energy is pretty stunning.
Also, Pagliacci is the famous opera where the tenor sings in a clown suit crying ... there was a classic commercial where they used the tune to sing "No More Rice Crispies!"
Can you see why kids in a Jr. drum corps would did the heck out of this arrangement? .. that bass line/drum interaction the horns.. is great! Just love it. The flip side there... I Second That Emotion" is well worth a listen also. Great reaction. Thanks.
Quote is from Watchman:
"Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Says life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain. Doctor says, 'Treatment is simple. Great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go and see him. That should pick you up.' Man bursts into tears. Says, 'But doctor…I am Pagliacci.' "
That's some top tier motown
God I love this song. Still have the 45. The follow up I don't Blame You At All was great as well. Smokey was the man.
Amazing lyrics! And arrangement
What a great song!
I can't even imagine having the groove to create this music.
The Tracks of My Tears is essentially the same sentiment! He’s smiling but if you look closely you can see the tracks of his tears! Smokey been through that for real.
A big hit for the beat in the uk luv Motown 😊
This was the background music that I remember from growing up in the UK where Motown got a lot of radio airtime back then.
This song was all over the radio back when. Huge part of our youth. AM radio,thank you! I think I've still got the 45
Smokey is one of our greatest songwriters!
Watch the long version of Daryl’s House with Smokey singing “Sara Smile”. He talks about how this song (Tears of a Clown) came about.
We have had some absolutely great music come out of Michigan
✨Loved Playing This So Much, We Wore Out The 45 Record! Our Dad Would Come Home From Work & Shout Out “Lower That Music!”, & We’d Say, “But Dad, It’s SMOKEY❕”✨❤️🥰❤️
The man was insanely talented
You guys need to follow this up with Tracks Of My Tears by Smokey (1965). It goes hand in hand with Tears Of Clown. A Motown one/two punch on Motown Monday. Keep up the excellent reactions.
Sounds of my early teens 👍🇬🇧
I love Smokey. I remember when this song came out, I was a kid. Cruisin' is another great one.
the music slides in but the voice hits each note square
I mean Smokey wrote Cruisin' and it's a masterpiece I don't listen to enough. This one is a masterpiece too I remember hearing on the car radio and just wanting to reach out and catch the beauty. It was almost tangible.
Best comment, Che: "Smokey was a G, Boy." 😎
My memory of this (and I admit my memory was damaged by a pesticide) is that Stevie Wonder and I think a producer, or arranger, came up with the music and couldnt figure out what to do lyrically, and so he handed it over to Smokey at a Motown Xmas party. "Just like Pagliacci did..." Pagliacci (spelling?) Is a character in an opera, a famous clown, which gives you an idea of Smokey's musical exposures.
And I think the strange instrument is called a calliope? Kaliope? It's a little street circus thingy. And hearing it set Smokey toward the idea of a clown.
This was huge back in the day.
I've been a big fan of Smokey since I was a teen. Such a great song writer and singer. I have never heard this version before. Its a very fast tempo. His later solo version is slower and I think shows off the lyrics better. I got to see him in concert years ago and he was just amazing. So glad I got to see him!
That bass line by Bob Babbit, I think, is so amazing!!! I have always loved this song since it came out in 71 or so
Funk Soul brothers 😍
Great song great lyrics and Smokey's smooth vocal.
My childhood favourite! Pretty much the perfect song, still.
When I first heard this as a child, it was well into the 70's, if not 80's, on the radio. I came in the house and said to my dad "I just heard the most wonderful song! Who sings the one that goes The Tears Of A Clown when no one's around!?!". And he told me all about Smokey Robinson. And played me the album, lol.
One of the best !
I think the intro has a bassoon, flute, (maybe piccolo) and glockenspiel. The way the beats fall in this tune made it a natural for reggae and ska bands to cover. Amazing that a pop tune would have some serious grown up references in it like Pagliacci a tragic opera about comedy actor Canio who killed his wife Nedda and her lover. The word Pagliacci means " Clowns ".
The Funk Brothers killing it
Smokey was the heart and soul of Motown. He was the first person that Barry Gordy signed when Motown started in 1959! And yes the Miracles did have a woman, Smokey’s wife. Claudette, who stopped touring, but did do studio recordings.
I was 10 when this was released. It totally consumed me. The intricate rhymes, the carnival like organ, that tuba or bass sax poppin off every now and then, and a voice as smooth as Crown Royal on the rocks. I had no idea a bad relationship could make you hurt inside so bad. I had to find out who this Palliachhi (sp?) guy was, and my dad found it very strange that I would have even known the sad clown existed existed. Would have to say my favourite Smokey song. Amazing music - none of this phony shit like todays music.
Flute at the beginning guys
Pagliacci was a character in a play in the early 1900s-the great operatic tenor Enrico Caruso would dress up as a clown as Pagliacci and perform the song Vesti La Giubba which was an extremely popular song at the time -and was the first million seller record in history.