Released: September 24, 1970
Songwriter: Henry “Hank” Cosby Smokey Robinson Stevie Wonder
Producer: Henry “Hank” Cosby Smokey Robinson
[Intro]
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
[Verse 1]
Now if there's a smile on my face
It's only there tryin’ to fool the public
But when it comes down to foolin’ 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 sadder than sad (I'm hurt so bad)
You're gone, and I'm hurtin' so bad (I pretend to be glad)
Like a clown, I pretend to be glad (Sad, sad, sad, sad)
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 2]
Now if I appear to be carefree
It's only to camouflage my sadness
In order to shield my pride, I’ve tried
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 (Why did you 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 oh
[Chorus]
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
[Bridge]
Just like Pagliacci did (The great pretender)
I try to keep my sadness hid
[Chorus]
Smiling in the public eye (The great pretender)
But in my lonely room I cry the tears of a clown
When there's no one around
Oh yeah, baby
[Outro]
Now if there's a smile on my face (Tears of clown)
Don't let my glad expression (Tears of a clown)
Give you the wrong impression
Don't let this smile I wear (Tears of a clown)
Make you think that I don't care
When really I'm sad (Tears of a clown)
Hurtin’ so bad
Cryin’...
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
[Verse 1]
Now if there's a smile on my face
It's only there tryin’ to fool the public
But when it comes down to foolin’ 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 sadder than sad (I'm hurt so bad)
You're gone, and I'm hurtin' so bad (I pretend to be glad)
Like a clown, I pretend to be glad (Sad, sad, sad, sad)
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 2]
Now if I appear to be carefree
It's only to camouflage my sadness
In order to shield my pride, I’ve tried
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 (Why did you 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 oh
[Chorus]
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
[Bridge]
Just like Pagliacci did (The great pretender)
I try to keep my sadness hid
[Chorus]
Smiling in the public eye (The great pretender)
But in my lonely room I cry the tears of a clown
When there's no one around
Oh yeah, baby
[Outro]
Now if there's a smile on my face (Tears of clown)
Don't let my glad expression (Tears of a clown)
Give you the wrong impression
Don't let this smile I wear (Tears of a clown)
Make you think that I don't care
When really I'm sad (Tears of a clown)
Hurtin’ so bad
Cryin’...
The 35th Anniversary Collection
- Bad Girl
- That’s the Way I Feel
- Come Spy With Me
- I’ve Been Good to You
- I Care About Detroit
- Determination
- Oh Be My Love
- Save Me
- You Never Miss a Good Thing
- Satisfaction
- Who’s Lovin’ You
- After All
- Shop Around (national version)
- A Love She Can Count On
- That’s What Love Is Made Of
- One Heartbeat
- Quiet Storm
- Sweet Harmony
- Being with You
- Happy Landing
- I Gotta Thing For You
- It
- He Don’t Care About Me
- If Your Mother Only Knew
- You Only Build Me Up to Tear Me Down
- I Cry
- All I Want Is You
- I Had To Cry
- The Day You Take One (You Have To Take The Other)
- I’m Stuck On You
- What Love Has Joined Together
- The Composer
- The Feeling Is So Fine
- Whatever Makes You Happy
- Heartbreak Road
- You’re So Fine and Sweet
- All That’s Good
- Crazy About the La La La
- It’s a Good Feeling
- Once I Got to Know You (Couldn’t Help But Love You)
- Here I Go Again (Live)
- The Tears of a Clown
- You Must Be Love
- (You Can’t Let the Boy Overpower) The Man in You
- I Don’t Blame You at All
- Abraham, Martin and John
- Going to a Go-Go
- Choosey Beggar
- The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage
- Here I Go Again
- A Fork in the Road
- Doggone Right
- I Second That Emotion
- Ooo Baby Baby
- Cruisin’
- The Tracks of My Tears
- My Business, Your Pleasure
- Promise Me
- There’s A Sad Story Here
- You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me
- After You Put Back the Pieces (I’ll Still Have a Broken Heart)
- Point It Out
- My Girl Has Gone
- Mighty Good Lovin’
- Baby Don’t You Go
- (You Can) Depend on Me
- Just to See Her
- Ain’t It Baby
- What’s So Good About Goodbye
- Broken Hearted
- I Like It Like That
- Way Over There
- Everybody’s Gotta Pay Some Dues
- When the Words From Your Heart Get Caught Up in Your Throat
- More Love
- Baby, Baby Don’t Cry
- Special Occasion
- Yester Love
- If You Can Want
- Shop Around (Regional Version)
- Got a Job
- I’ll Try Something New
- Make It Happen (1967)
- One Dozen Roses (1971)
- The Allniter (1985)
- The 35th Anniversary Collection (1994)
- Crooklyn Volume 1 & 2 (Music From The Motion Picture) (1994)
- Ultimate Seventies: 1970 (2003)
- The Complete Motown Singles | Vol. 10: 1970 (2008)
- NOW That’s What I Call Motown [US] (2009)
- Hitsville: The Making of Motown (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack from the Showtime Documentary Fi (2019)
- NOW 100 Hits 70s [UK] (2020)
- Barack Obama’s Summer 2021 Playlist (2021)
- The Tears of a Clown
- Ooo Baby Baby
- The Tracks of My Tears
- I Second That Emotion
- Much Better Off
- A Fork in the Road
- Satisfaction
- California Soul
- Come Spy With Me
- Swept for You Baby
- Since You Won My Heart
- Your Mother’s Only Daughter
- I Care About Detroit
- Give Her Up
- Oh Be My Love
- Save Me
- I Gotta Thing For You
- All That’s Good
- That Girl
- Crazy About the La La La
- Oh Baby Baby I Love You
- Crazy About the La la La (Stereo Promo Version)
- My Business, Your Pleasure
- My Love Is Your Love (Forever)