Smokey Robinson and the Miracles » Tracks » The Tears of a Clown

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles – The Tears of a Clown (2:59)

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About This Track

“The Tears of a Clown” is a 1967 song by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles for the Tamla (Motown) label, originally released on the 1967 album Make It Happen. The song was re-released in the United Kingdom as a single in September 1970, where it became a number-one hit on the UK singles chart. Subsequently, Motown released “The Tears of a Clown” as a single in the United States as well, where it quickly became a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and Black Singles Chart. This song is an international multi-million seller and a 2002 Grammy Hall of Fame inductee. The single’s success caused Miracles lead singer/producer/songwriter Smokey Robinson, who had announced plans to leave the act, to stay with the group until 1972.
Stevie Wonder and his producer Hank Cosby wrote the music for the song, and Cosby produced the instrumental track recording. Wonder gave Smokey Robinson the instrumental track as a Christmas present at the 1966 Motown Christmas party. Robinson, who remarked that the song’s distinctive calliope motif “sounded like a circus”, provided lyrics that reflected his vision and sang lead vocal. In the song, Robinson’s character, hurt by a lover who left him, compares himself to the characters in the opera Pagliacci, comedians/clowns who hide their hurt and anger behind empty smiles. Robinson had used the Pagliacci comparison before: the line “just like Pagliacci did/I’ll try to keep my sadness hid” also appears in the song “My Smile Is Just A Frown (Turned Upside Down)”, which Robinson wrote in 1964 for Motown artist Carolyn Crawford.
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  • marcy50

    Love these guys~

    last month

  • oldiesfanjohn

    one of the best songs ever recorded!!!

    last month

  • lattmere

    smokey!!

    March 2012

  • sanjacchubby

    the motown sound, thanks to the Funk Bros, knew no color barriers, just tugged at your heart strings, or made you jump up and dance. Thanks Barry G., Smokey et al. Where have you gone ?

    March 2012

  • i_love_mangos

    The way he wrote songs ...... *sighs*

    January 2012

  • retrowens

    Can't say enough about this one! Easily one of my favorite Oldies and Motown songs of all time. Mega catchy!

    January 2012

  • sari_kirsty

    shake da bum bum <3

    January 2012

  • johnnygoyen

    A TRUE MOTOWN CLASSIC. As a Houston Radio DJ I cannot come close to counting how many times I played this one. Many Memories of Houston Radio! Best & Enjoy Last.FM

    December 2011

  • Marjo47

    great I found it again, fav.

    November 2011

  • abbeeyyy

    <3

    October 2011

  • kiteo

    Classic intro.

    September 2011

  • worldfallsdown

    <3

    September 2011

  • herrkliem

    läuft immer auf arbeit

    August 2011

  • promisedeyes

    Classic soul! <3

    April 2011

  • prominence_la

    A classic - but The (English) Beat's version is so, so, awesome. Granted, I've never realized before how cool that bassline is.

    April 2011

  • FICTON1

    super ... *,*

    March 2011

  • thirdprofile

    lyrical genius, one of the best songs ever written.

    October 2010

  • BackNDaDay90

    Timeless.

    October 2010

  • Turner_Ound

    nice

    July 2010

  • mrfootball70

    the tears of a clown..when no ones around

    June 2010
See all 117 shouts

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