Smokey Robinson and the Miracles » Tracks
The Tears of a Clown (3:02)
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“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.
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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Early Seventies classic.
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Albums featuring this track
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60's Soul Mix 2 (disc 2)
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The No.1 Hits 1970
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Motown 25 #1 Hits From 25 Years (disc 1)
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Shouts
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jennica_med_c wrote:
Haha, my mum loves this song. No wonder, it's really catchy :)
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SOULMAN54 wrote:
great great song
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MissKittenKlaws wrote:
Great to hear again
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Gabriel_Hentzy wrote:
great song!
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longraphics wrote:
Smokey.... Tears of a Clown :( Great track...brings back many memories :)
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Lempea wrote:
The battery is epic. The Funk Brothers are awesome.
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Druid66 wrote:
He did this song so damned well the one time I heard him live - just sensational! Just noticed the harpsichord in the very back, what a nifty touch.
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sirenonthe101 wrote:
i love this
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HendrixFan42 wrote:
good song, but it really is just a more upbeat retread of "The Tracks of My Tears", which I think is superior and is one of the very best songs of the 60s, which is saying a long
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Schwarzflausch wrote:
Ah! Meine Recherchen haben ergeben, dass es noch ne Ska-Variante gibt. Die is in der Tat auch nicht schlecht. Aber ich liebe Smokey, der leidet so schön. Daher mag ich diese Version lieber...
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Schwarzflausch wrote:
Hmmm... ich kenn das Original gar nicht. :(
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scottie301 wrote:
this sucks.
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ShesaLoadedGun wrote:
= x
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IRSARGE wrote:
no tears , you clown...!
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imaginaryangie wrote:
And the craptastic version is back! Who on earth keeps doing this?? There should be commandments against such things. =(
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Gadget3440 wrote:
This ain't the tears of a clown I know. It's ok, but is garbage compared to the original. I want the original.
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P-Addy wrote:
What the buggery chuffnuts is this rubbish?!?
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looknohair wrote:
DIG that bassoon!
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imaginaryangie wrote:
Yay! It's back to the good version! Thank you Last!
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smlpurple wrote:
I love these songs form smokey!
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Recent Activity
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LAURRRRRREN and Doperwt loved Smokey Robinson and the Miracles – The Tears of a Clown. yesterday afternoon
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