Polyogenese

[david634578]

At least I think thats his name. He/she is mentioned in the song 'Tears of a Clown' by Smokie Robinson and The Miracles. Does anybody have a clue who this character was? I've also posted this question in the music category. Any help would be appreciated as this has really got me stumped.

[dot.hawkes]

Pagliacci you mean

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagliacci

[dot.hawkes]

Oh yeah yeah yeah

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, oh I'm sadder than sad
You're gone and I'm hurtin' 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
Uh hum, oh yeah baby

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, oh I need you so
I'm hurt and I want you to know
But for others I put on a show, ooh yeah

{repeat CHORUS}

Just like Pagliacci did
I try to keep my surface hid
Smiling in the public eye
But in my lonely room I cry
The tears of a clown
When there's no one around, oh yeah, baby baby
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……

[Octavius]

Robinson's character, hurt by a lover who left him, compares himself to the characters in the opera Pagliacci, comedians/clowns who hide their hurt and anger behind empty smiles. Robinson had used the Pagliacci comparison before: the line "just like Pagliacci did/I'll keep my sadness hid" also appears in the song "My Smile Is Just A Frown (Turned Upside Down)".