The hit songs "Do It Baby" and Love Machine (written by Billy Griffin & Pete Moore) were performed by Billy Griffin as the lead singer after the departure of original founder member Smokey Robinson.
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#023. The Tears of a Clown
Smokey Robinson and The Miracles Lyrics
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it's only there trying to fool the public
but when it comes down to fooling you
now honey that's quite a diff'rent subject
Don't let my glad expression
give you the wrong impression really I'm sad
Oh, sadder than sad, you're gone and I'm hurting so bad
like a clown I pretend to be glad
Now there's some sad things known to man
but ain't too much sadder than
the tears of a clown, when there's no one around
Oh yeah, baby,
Now if I appear to be carefree,
it's only to camouflage my sadness
in order to shield my pride
I try to cover this hurt with a show of gladness
But Don't let my show convince you
that I've been happy since you decided to go,
I need you so, I'm hurt and I want you to know
but for others I put on a show
Now there's some sad things known to man
but ain't too much sadder than
the tears of a clown,
when there's no one around
Just like Pagliacci did
I try to keep my sadness hid
smiling in the public eye
but in my lonely room I cry
the tears of a clown
Oh, yeah baby
Now, if there's a smile on my face
Don't let my glad expression
Give you a wrong impression
Don't let this smile I wear
Make you think that I don't care
Now there's some sad things known to man
but ain't too much sadder than
the tears of a clown, when there's no one around
The Tears of a Clown by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles is a song about a man who is hiding his true emotions behind a clown-like façade. If there's a smile on his face, it's just an act to fool the public, but when it comes to the woman he loves, he can't pretend to be happy anymore. He feels sadder than sad and tries to hide his pain from the rest of the world. He puts on a show to cover his sadness, but deep down he's hurting and wants his love back. The song talks about the sadness of a clown, who appears to be happy on the outside but is crying on the inside.
The lyrics of the song are filled with metaphors and analogies, comparing the man's pain to that of a clown and how he tries to hide it. It is said that the song was inspired by the Italian opera Pagliacci, which tells the story of a clown who is heartbroken and has to perform in front of an audience while hiding his pain. The song was a massive hit and is still considered one of the best Motown records of all time. It has been covered by several artists, including Smokey Robinson and The Miracles.
Line by Line Meaning
Now if there's a smile upon my face
If you see me smiling, it’s not because I’m happy, but rather because I want to deceive people
it's only there trying to fool the public
My smile is a facade to create a false image of happiness for those around me
but when it comes down to fooling you
However, when it comes to fooling you, my dear, it’s a different story
now honey that's quite a diff'rent subject
I can't fool you as easily as I can fool others, my dear
Don't let my glad expression
Please don't be fooled by my seemingly happy face
give you the wrong impression really I'm sad
In actuality, I'm truly sad and my happiness is just a facade
Oh, sadder than sad, you're gone and I'm hurting so bad
I’m feeling worse than ever because you’ve left me and the pain is unbearable
like a clown I pretend to be glad
Just like a clown who puts on a show, I pretend to be happy despite my sadness
Now there's some sad things known to man
There are many sad things in this world
but ain't too much sadder than
But nothing is quite as sad as
the tears of a clown, when there's no one around
The sadness of a clown who cries alone is truly heartbreaking
Now if I appear to be carefree,
If I seem carefree,
it's only to camouflage my sadness
It’s only to hide my sadness
in order to shield my pride
So that I can protect myself and keep my pride intact
I try to cover this hurt with a show of gladness
I attempt to hide my pain by pretending to be happy
But Don't let my show convince you
Please don't be convinced by my act
that I've been happy since you decided to go,
That I’ve been happy since you left me
I need you so, I'm hurt and I want you to know
I miss you terribly and I want you to know just how much I’m hurting
but for others I put on a show
But for others, I’ll continue to put on a show of happiness
Just like Pagliacci did
I’m like Pagliacci, the famous clown
I try to keep my sadness hid
I attempt to keep my sadness hidden
smiling in the public eye
I continue to smile when others are around
but in my lonely room I cry
However, when I’m alone, I cry
the tears of a clown
I cry tears of sadness, just like a clown
Oh, yeah baby
Oh, yes, my love
Now, if there's a smile on my face
If you see me smiling
Don't let my glad expression
Please don't be deceived by my happy expression
Give you a wrong impression
Because it’s not a true reflection of how I feel
Don't let this smile I wear
Don't be fooled by my smile
Make you think that I don't care
Because I care deeply, but I’m just trying to hide my emotions
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HENRY COSBY, SMOKEY ROBINSON, STEVIE WONDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind