He left Auburn University after his second year to pursue a musical career. After three years playing guitar for Roy Orbison, he set out on a solo career in 1964. He soon had a Top Ten hit with his own composition "See the Funny Little Clown."
Other Top 40 hits from the 1960s include:
* "Whenever He Holds You"
* "Little Things"
* "Voodoo Woman"
* "It's Too Late"
* "Blue Autumn"
* "Me Japanese Boy I Love You"
* "Honey"
* "Autumn of My Life"
* "The Straight Life"
"Honey" was a Number One hit in 1968. In the early 1970s he had two more hits, "Watching Scotty Grow," and "Summer (The First Time)." From 1973 to 1975 he hosted the syndicated television variety series The Bobby Goldsboro Show. In the mid-1980's he retired from performing to produce children's entertainment.
See the Funny Little Clown
Bobby Goldsboro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See him laughin' as you walk by
Everybody thinks he's happy
'Cause you never see a tear in his eye
No one knows he's cryin'
No one knows he's dyin' on the inside
'Cause he's laughin' on the outside
See the funny little clown
He's hidin' behind a smile
They all think he's laughin'
But I know he's really cryin' all the while
How his heart is achin'
How his heart is breakin' on the inside
But he keeps laughin' on the outside
Mm no one knows, no one knows
This funny little clown
You never used to see him around
Without his girl beside him
To love and guide him
Until one day his girl just walked away
And to this very day he says he never loved her anyway
Mm and no one knows (No one knows) except for me (No one knows)
Because you see (No one knows)
I'm the funny little clown
See the funny little clown
Bobby Goldsboro's song See the Funny Little Clown is a poignant and melancholy ballad about a clown who hides his sorrow behind a painted-on smile. The lyrics describe the clown's facade of happiness that he displays as people walk by, and how he keeps his pain hidden deep inside. The song suggests that even the happiest of people can be struggling internally, and that we never truly know what others are going through.
In the second verse, we learn that the clown used to be happy with his girlfriend by his side, but after she left him, he became a lonely and heartbroken figure. Now, he wanders around alone, still putting on a brave face for the world, but hiding the sadness inside himself. The final verse reveals that the singer himself is the funny little clown, and that he can empathize with the character because he too is hiding his pain from the world.
Overall, the lyrics of the song are a powerful reminder to be kind and compassionate to all people, because we never truly know what they are going through beneath the surface.
Line by Line Meaning
See the funny little clown
Observe the performer in the clown costume
See him laughin' as you walk by
Observe the clown's cheerful behavior and smiling face
Everybody thinks he's happy
People regard the clown as happy and jovial
'Cause you never see a tear in his eye
The clown has no visible signs of sorrow or distress
No one knows he's cryin'
No one is aware that the clown is crying inside
No one knows he's dyin' on the inside
No one knows that the clown is emotionally suffering
'Cause he's laughin' on the outside
He presents himself as happy and cheerful on the exterior
Mm no one knows, no one knows
The fact that the clown is masking his pain is unknown to everyone
He's hidin' behind a smile
The clown's smile is concealing his true emotions
They all think he's laughin'
Audiences believe that the clown is genuinely happy and amused
But I know he's really cryin' all the while
The singer acknowledges that the clown is experiencing genuine sadness
How his heart is achin'
The clown's heart is experiencing emotional distress
How his heart is breakin' on the inside
The clown is suffering from heartbreak that is invisible to others
But he keeps laughin' on the outside
He continues to display happiness and laughter outwardly
Mm no one knows, no one knows
The clown continues to conceal his pain from others
You never used to see him around
The artist notes that the clown was not previously present
Without his girl beside him
The clown was previously accompanied by his significant other
To love and guide him
She was the clown's source of affection and support
Until one day his girl just walked away
The female companion deserted the clown abruptly
And to this very day he says he never loved her anyway
The clown insists that he never cared for his girlfriend
Mm and no one knows (No one knows) except for me (No one knows)
The artist is the only one who is privy to the clown's true emotions
Because you see (No one knows)
The clown's public persona masks his true feelings
I'm the funny little clown
The singer reveals that they are the clown in question
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOBBY GOLDSBORO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind