Clown
McTell Ralph Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And clown goes back into his caravan.
Hangs up his smile on a hook by the door
And lets his ragged coat slip to the floor.
With the sound of the children's laughter
Still ringing in his ears.
Laughing 'cause they're happy,
They laugh to hide their fears.
For, like him, they fear.
The world does not exist tonight,
And only the circus,
Only the circus is real.
As real as the elephants that trumpet in the ring.
Real like the trapeze, see it swing.
Real like the man who eats real fire,
Real like the lady on the high wire.
But the people have gone, his identity gone.
Clown peeps through he window of his caravan.
From the trees on the common
The town looks so small.
Clown puts on his coat and goes out the door.
And the distant neon lights
They shine above the town.
"It's almost like a circus", thinks clown.
Then half with fear
And half with delight,
Shivering, shaking.
Clown stands laughing,
Clown stands laughing,
Clown is laughing at the night.
The song "Clown" by McTell Ralph is a poignant meditation on the double-edged sword of being an entertainer - on the one hand, the joy of making people laugh and forget their worries, and on the other, the sense of emptiness and loneliness that can follow when the show is over. The opening lines describe the end of a performance, with the lights dimming and the audience dispersing, leaving the clown behind in his caravan. The metaphor of the clown hanging up his smile like a coat is a powerful one, suggesting that his performance is just a mask that he can take off when he's alone.
The chorus of the song captures the bittersweet nature of the clown's relationship with his audience. He loves making children laugh and forget their fears, but he understands that they are laughing to hide their pain. Similarly, the clown is laughing on the outside, but inside he may be shivering and shaking with fear and loneliness. The circus represents a kind of alternate reality where the performers can escape from the troubles of the real world, but eventually they have to step back outside and confront their problems.
The final lines of the song suggest that the clown's laughter may be a kind of coping mechanism, a way of dealing with the sadness and uncertainty that comes with being an entertainer. Even as he stands outside in the cold, looking up at the neon lights of the town, he can't help but feel a sense of giddy delight at the absurdity of it all. The song invites the listener to empathize with the complex emotions that underlie the clown's seemingly carefree persona and to appreciate the artistry and bravery that goes into making people laugh.
Line by Line Meaning
The lights have gone dim, and the people are gone.
The show is over, and the audience has left the circus. It's now quiet and dark.
And clown goes back into his caravan.
The clown returns to his small living space.
Hangs up his smile on a hook by the door
The clown removes his painted-on smile and hangs it on a hook, signaling the end of his performance.
And lets his ragged coat slip to the floor.
The clown relaxes and takes off his costume.
With the sound of the children's laughter
The memories of the children's joyful laughter are still fresh in the clown's mind.
Still ringing in his ears.
The sound of laughter echoes in the clown's mind.
Laughing 'cause they're happy,
Children laugh because they are happy.
They laugh to hide their fears.
Children may also laugh to mask their insecurities and fears.
Clown loves the children
The clown has genuine affection for the children he performs for.
For, like him, they fear.
The clown understands that children have fears, just like he does.
The world does not exist tonight,
In the world of the circus, there are no outside distractions or problems, just the show.
And only the circus,
The clown finds solace in the insular world of the circus.
Only the circus is real.
The clown sees the circus as the only thing that matters, the only thing that is tangible.
As real as the elephants that trumpet in the ring.
The circus seems as real as the living creatures that inhabit it.
Real like the trapeze, see it swing.
The circus has a palpable sense of reality, as demonstrated by the swinging trapeze.
Real like the man who eats real fire,
The circus performers are real people doing real, dangerous acts for the entertainment of others.
Real like the lady on the high wire.
The circus performers put their lives on the line for the art of their craft.
But the people have gone, his identity gone.
Now that the circus has ended and the audience has left, the clown's purpose and identity feel lost to him.
Clown peeps through he window of his caravan.
The clown looks out from his caravan, feeling somewhat disconnected from the world outside the circus.
From the trees on the common
The clown looks out at the nearby trees.
The town looks so small.
From his vantage point, the clown sees the town as small and insignificant compared to the world of the circus.
Clown puts on his coat and goes out the door.
The clown prepares to venture into the outside world.
And the distant neon lights
The clown notices the lights of the town in the distance.
They shine above the town.
The bright neon lights cast a glow over the town.
"It's almost like a circus", thinks clown.
The clown makes a connection between the bright lights of the town and the spectacle of the circus.
Then half with fear
The clown is nervous.
And half with delight,
But he is also excited to explore beyond the confines of the circus.
Shivering, shaking.
The clown is visibly nervous.
Clown stands laughing,
The clown tries to keep up a cheerful demeanor despite his anxieties.
Clown stands laughing,
Again, the clown tries to keep his spirits up.
Clown is laughing at the night.
The clown uses laughter to combat his anxieties about the outside world.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RALPH MC TELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind