Matt (28), Joe (26), Esra (24), and Simri-Ramon (20) grew up in a family of… Read Full Bio ↴Matt (28), Joe (26), Esra (24), and Simri-Ramon (20) grew up in a family of nine in Basle. "Our mother encouraged us to sing from a very early age," explains Joe. Ever since they were tiny, they have been making music together. Initially, they performed in nursing homes, hospitals, and at private events. Then came an event that changed their lives: in 2001, the Buchli family moved to Australia for two years, setting up home at 77 Bombay Street in Adelaide. On their return to Switzerland, the four decided that they didn't want to live in the city any more. "We were lucky to be able to take over the old chalet that belonged to our grandparents in Scharans," says Esra. "Surrounded by the beautiful mountains of the canton of Graubünden, it was just perfect." They weren't in the least bit bothered that they would have to share a bedroom. A short time later they formed a band, which they named after their temporary home down under. From this point on, the heart of the band beat in the chalet's cellar, where they rehearsed. Then everything happened very quickly: 77 Bombay Street began to enter band competitions, winning almost every one of them. They were then hired for some gigs and won both the Little Prix Walo and the MyCokemusic Contest in 2009. "It can be wonderful to make music with your brothers, but it can also be very nerve-racking," says Simri- Ramon in answer to a frequently asked question. "Each of us has a different idea of music. Before we reach a consensus, there can be big fights and it can get very loud."

At this stage, 77 Bombay Street is more than just an insider tip. 77 Bombay Street is all about the joy of making music, musical talent, intensity, and authenticity. With the songs '47 Millionaires' and 'Long Way', they have conquered the radio waves and are getting both positive media reviews and encouraging feedback. The band's fan community is growing steadily. 77 Bombay Street have already played over 100 live shows in their as yet short career. Their debut album, Up In The Sky, features 12 characteristic and unmistakeable folk-rock gems. There isn't a note too many, the songs are not overloaded with ideas, every word counts ... in fact, every one of the songs is straightforward, direct, and goes straight to the heart.

Clown
77 Bombay Street Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's not that I like you I don't even know you
I'm just there to make you smile to keep you happy for a while
I stand on a trap door that's what you pay for
And my shoes are twice your size rainbow colors 'round my eyes
But no one can see behind my red nose and white powdered face

I was born to make you happy so keep smiling for a while
And I'll do the best i can to keep that jingle jangle in your mind

I was born to make you happy so I'm smiling all the time
And if you are down then i'll come to your town
Because i'm your favorite clown

I dance on the wires I play with the lions
See me jumping up and down watch me rolling on the ground
Well it's in my bloodline to stand in the floodlight
I am juggling on one wheel it doesn't matter how i feel
And no one can see behind my red nose and white powdered face

I was born to make you happy so keep smiling for a while
And I'll do the best I can to keep that jingle jangle in your mind
I was born to make you happy so I'm smiling all the time
And if you are down then I'll come to your town
Because I'm your favorite clown

And when the curtains close I'm taking off my shoes and my red nose
And when i change my clothes there's nothing left than just a lonely soul
Without the colors in my face I feel so useless in this place
But I feel fine when you just smile

I was born to make you happy so keep smiling for a while
And I'll do the best I can to keep that jingle jangle in your mind
I was born to make you happy so I'm smiling all the time

And if you are down then I'll come to your town
Because I'm your favorite clown

Overall Meaning

The song "Clown" by 77 Bombay Street seems to be a reflection of the performer's perspective about their profession as circus clowns. The lyrics describe the performer as someone who is not necessarily fond of the person they are entertaining, but rather is there to make them happy and bring a smile to their face. The performer speaks about standing on a trap door and wearing shoes that are twice the size of the average person's shoes. The design of the performer's shoes is described as rainbow colors around their eyes which suggests an intentional look of extravagance to make the people happy.

The song overall suggests that the performer is aware of the limitation of their lifestyle and career as a clown in the circus. The performer speaks about always smiling and being happy as it is their duty to make people feel happy. The second verse of the song points out that the performer jumps on wires and plays with lions that could cause harm, but continue to be a part of their profession because it's in their bloodline. It appears that the performer has accepted that their circus clown profession is a part of their destiny.

The chorus of the song reiterates that the performer was born to make people happy, and it's their job to keep that jingle jangle in people's minds. The performer also mentions that once the curtains close, they take off their shoes and red nose, and they are left feeling alone and useless without the colors and appearance of a clown. However, the performer feels fine when people smile.

Overall, the song appears to try and educate people about the life of a circus clown and how they sacrifice their well-being to keep reminding people how to be happy.

Line by Line Meaning

It's not that I like you I don't even know you
I am not here because I have feelings for you, in fact, I am a stranger to you

I'm just there to make you smile to keep you happy for a while
My only purpose is to bring a smile to your face and bring temporary happiness to your life

I stand on a trap door that's what you pay for
I perform stunts and tricks risking my life and limb, and that's what you pay to see

And my shoes are twice your size rainbow colors 'round my eyes
My shoes are huge and colorful, and I have a rainbow of colors around my eyes

But no one can see behind my red nose and white powdered face
Despite my appearance, nobody can see the real me behind this costume

I was born to make you happy so keep smiling for a while
My purpose in life is to make you happy, so please keep that smile on your face for a little longer

And I'll do the best i can to keep that jingle jangle in your mind
I'll try my hardest to keep that happy, jingly feeling in your mind for as long as possible

I dance on the wires I play with the lions
I perform daring feats such as dancing on high wires and playing with dangerous beasts like lions

See me jumping up and down watch me rolling on the ground
Watch me perform acrobatics and clownish antics, jumping and rolling on the ground

Well it's in my bloodline to stand in the floodlight
Performing for an audience is in my bloodline, it's what I was born to do

I am juggling on one wheel it doesn't matter how i feel
I can juggle while balancing on one wheel, even if I may not feel my best

And when the curtains close I'm taking off my shoes and my red nose
As soon as the show is over, I discard my costume and take off my shoes and red nose

And when i change my clothes there's nothing left than just a lonely soul
Without my costume and clown persona, I am just a lonely soul

Without the colors in my face I feel so useless in this place
Without the bright colors and makeup, I feel worthless in this world

But I feel fine when you just smile
But I feel content when I see you smile and happy because of my performance

And if you are down then I'll come to your town
If you are feeling down, I'll come to where you are and do my best to cheer you up

Because I'm your favorite clown
Because I am the clown that you love and enjoy the most

Contributed by Zachary V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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