Born in Dunrea, Manitoba, Canada, his mother was a musician and he learned to play piano at a young age. In 1967, Lavoie won a singer-songwriter competition for the Société Radio-Canada French language television program, Jeunesse oblige which gave him his first major publicity.
The young franco-manitoban played and sang in English and French with two different groups but his singing career began to blossom following a 1970 tour in the province of Quebec. Within a few years he was equally as popular in France as he was in Canada, headlining at Bobino and the Olympia in Paris. His album Nirvana bleu (recorded in 1979) was one of his bestsellers ever.
Daniel Lavoie starred in the highly successful musical play, Notre-Dame de Paris, in which he played the part of Frollo. He has written music for motion pictures including the Ludovic series of animated short films.
Send in the Clowns
Daniel Lavoie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground,
You in mid-air.
Where are the clowns?
Isn't it bliss?
Don't you approve?
One who can't move...
Where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns.
Just when I'd stopped opening doors,
Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours.
Making my entrance again with my usual flair
Sure of my lines...
No one is there.
Don't you love farce?
My fault, I fear.
I thought that you'd want what I want...
Sorry, my dear!
And where are the clowns
Send in the clowns
Don't bother, they're here.
Isn't it rich?
Isn't it queer?
Losing my timing this late in my career.
And where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns...
Well, maybe next year.
"Send in the Clowns" is an insightful and sophisticated song about love, regret, and disappointment. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a failed relationship between two people who were never quite on the same page. The singer starts by questioning the situation he finds himself in, as he is on the ground while his partner is still in mid-air. He wonders where the clowns are, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the performers who usually come in to entertain and distract when things are not going well.
The second verse expresses a sense of resignation and self-awareness. The singer acknowledges that he has been chasing after love, but has failed to catch it. He thought he had found it with his partner, but it turns out that they wanted different things. He apologizes for his mistake and wonders where the clowns are now that he needs them.
The final verse is a reflection on the absurdity of life and the unexpected turns it takes. The singer laments losing his timing late in his career, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for how life can catch up with us and leave us behind. He finishes by saying that there ought to be clowns, but maybe next year, implying that he still hopes for a happy ending despite his disappointment.
Line by Line Meaning
Isn't it rich?
Isn't this situation ironic or contradictory?
Are we a pair?
Are we two people who are alike or equally matched?
Me here at last on the ground,
You in mid-air.
I have finally achieved something on solid ground, while you are still floating in the air, ungrounded and not anchored in anything.
Where are the clowns?
Where is the comic relief or entertainment - the distraction from the harsh reality of our situation?
Isn't it bliss?
Don't you approve?
Isn't this moment of happiness or contentment what you want and approve of?
One who keeps tearing around,
One who can't move...
One person is moving very quickly, while the other is unable to move at all - both are stuck in their own ways.
Where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns.
Again, where is the comic relief to distract us from the present situation?
Just when I'd stopped opening doors,
Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours.
I had given up on searching new opportunities when I finally found the one thing I wanted, but it was already claimed by you.
Making my entrance again with my usual flair
Sure of my lines...
No one is there.
I confidently and carefully planned out my entrance, but no one is there to witness it, leaving me to perform to an empty room.
Don't you love farce?
My fault, I fear.
Aren't these situations funny, especially since they are typically my own fault?
I thought that you'd want what I want...
Sorry, my dear!
I thought our desires were the same, but I was mistaken, and I regret leading you on.
And where are the clowns
Send in the clowns
Don't bother, they're here.
Please, bring in the distraction - the clowns - but wait, we don't need them, because the situation itself is hilarious.
Isn't it rich?
Isn't it queer?
Again, isn't this so ironic or strange?
Losing my timing this late in my career.
And where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns...
Well, maybe next year.
I'm losing my touch or my ability to perform at this point in my career, and I still crave that comic relief, but maybe next year it will come.
Writer(s): Stephen Sondheim
Contributed by Savannah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.