1. The Chosen Few was a sixties R&B band from Newcastle, United Kingdom. Popular for their energetic mix of R&B and powerful live performances, the band recorded two uncharacteristically dreamy pop numbers among the four tracks across their two singles for Pye Records. All of these songs were written by the band's lead guitarist, Alan Hull. In late 1965 they underwent a series of personnel changes and by 1967 the three remaining members had become Skip Bifferty. Alan Hull later wound up in Lindisfarne, the Tyneside folk/rock group who enjoyed huge commercial success.
2. The Chosen Few was also a soul group of the 1960s, not be confused with the Newcastle band listed above. The Chosen Few recorded just one album for the Maple label ASD and are known to many Northern Soul fans for their hit singles 'Birth Of A Playboy' and 'Taking All The Love I Can', taken from said album.
3. The Chosen Few was a late 1970s punk band formed in Victoria, Australia.
4. The Chosen Few was a reggae band.
5. The Chosen Few was a metal band.
Tears Of A Clown
The Chosen Few Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 Chosen Few's "The Tears Of A Clown" tells the story of someone who is trying to hide their sadness and pain behind a smile. The lyrics describe how the singer is only smiling to fool the public and hide their true emotions. However, when it comes to fooling someone they care about, they find it difficult. The song then goes on to describe the sadness and hurt that the singer is feeling due to the departure of a loved one, which they are hiding behind the façade of a happy clown. They are trying to exaggerate their happiness and hide the pain, but they know the truth is far from that.
The next verse talks about how the singer appears carefree on the surface, but only to deceive others, and to cover up the pain and disappointment that they are feeling inside. They know that letting their sadness show would mean exposing their vulnerability and ruining their pride. However, they express their pain and longing for their departed loved one and admit to putting on a show for others to protect themselves. The chorus repeats the sentiment - that there is nothing sadder than the tears of a clown when there is no one around.
Overall, the song explores the idea of hiding behind a persona to deal with the pain of a lost love. The singer tries to hide the longing and the pain but deep down they recognize that they need comfort and care.
Line by Line Meaning
Now if there's a smile upon my face
The singer puts on a fake smile to deceive the public.
it's only there trying to fool the public
The smile is not genuine, it is only meant to deceive others.
but when it comes down to fooling you
The singer cannot fool the person they care about even though they can fool others.
now honey that's quite a diff'rent subject
Deceiving the person they care about is much harder than deceiving others.
Don't let my glad expression
The artist warns the listener not to be fooled by their fake smile.
give you the wrong impression,
The singer doesn't want the listener to get the wrong idea from their fake smile.
really I'm sad
The singer is really sad despite their smile.
Oh, sadder than sad, you're gone and I'm hurting so bad
The person the artist cares about is gone and it hurts them deeply.
like a clown I pretend to be glad
The artist compares themselves to a clown who pretends to be happy.
Now there's some sad things known to man
There are many sad things in the world.
but ain't too much sadder than the tears of a clown, when there's no one around
The singer believes that pretending to be happy when they are sad is one of the saddest things in the world.
Now if I appear to be carefree,
The artist puts on a carefree act to hide their sadness.
it's only to camouflage my sadness
The carefree act is just a disguise to hide the singer's true feelings of sadness.
in order to shield my pride
The singer puts on the act to protect their self-respect.
I try to cover this hurt with a show of gladness
The singer tries to hide their pain through their fake happiness.
But don't let my show convince you
The artist warns the listener not to be fooled by their act.
that I've been happy since you decided to go,
The artist has not been happy since the person they care about left them.
I need you so, I'm hurt and I want you to know
The singer is hurt and wants the person they care about to know.
but for others I put on a show
The singer only puts on the act for others.
Just like Pagliacci did
The artist compares themselves to a clown character from an opera named Pagliacci.
I try to keep my sadness hid
The artist tries to hide their sadness just like Pagliacci did in the opera.
smiling in the public eye
The artist puts on a smile when others are around.
but in my lonely room I cry
The singer is sad when alone and cries in private.
the tears of a clown, oh yeah baby
The artist is describing the sadness they feel inside even though they put on a happy face for others.
Don't let this smile I wear
The singer warns the listener not to be deceived by their smile.
Make you think that I don't care
The singer still cares deeply even though they put on a happy face.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: William Jr. Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Henry Cosby
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind