De muziek van The Tears of a Clown is van de hand van Stevie Wonder en Motown-producer Hank Cosby. Cosby vroeg Robinson er een passende tekst bij te verzinnen. Omdat de muziek hem deed denken aan een circus, kwam Robinson met het concept van de huilende clown. Dat is uiteraard niet bepaald origineel te noemen, maar zoals altijd valt er bij Smokey Robinson op de vormgeving weinig aan te merken.
Noot: Pagliacci is een karakter uit de opera I Pagliacci (de paljassen) van de Italiaanse componist Ruggero Leoncavallo.
[Verse 1]
Now if there’s a smile on my face
It’s only there trying to fool the public
But when it comes down to fooling you
Now honey that’s quite a different subject
But don’t let my glad expression
Give you the wrong impression
Really I’m sad
(Sad, sad, sad, sad)
Oh I’m sadder than sad
(Sadder than sad)
You’re gone and I’m hurtin’ so bad
(Hurtin’ so bad)
Like a clown I pretend to be glad
(Sad, sad, sad, sad)
[Pre-Chorus]
Now there’s some sad things known to man
But ain’t too much sadder than
[Chorus]
The tears of a clown, when there’s no one around
Oh yeah baby
[Verse 2]
Now if I appear to be carefree
It’s only to camouflage my sadness
And honey 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
(Decided to go)
Oh I need you so
(I need you so)
I’m hurt and I want you to know
(Want you to know)
But for others I put on a show
(It’s just a show)
Ooh yeah
[Pre-Chorus]
Now there’s some sad things known to man
But ain’t too much sadder than
[Chorus]
The tears of a clown
When there’s no one around
Oh yeah
[Bridge]
Just like Pagliacci did
I try to keep my sadness hid
Smiling in the public eye
But in my lonely room I cry
[Chorus]
The tears of a clown
When there’s no one around
Oh yeah baby
[Outro]
Now if there’s a smile on my face
Don’t let my glad expression
Give you the wrong impression
Don’t let this smile I wear
Make you think that I don’t care
When really I’m sad, I’m hurting so bad
Uitgelichte afbeelding: By Dwight McCann / Chumash Casino Resort / www.DwightMcCann.com, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7067689
