The Tears Of A Clown - Robin, You'll Be Missed

As always when something happens to a celebrity who the world knows and almost feels like a family member, those of us who are bloggers express ourselves through our respective blogs. The death of Robin Williams is no different. 

When I am away on vacation I tend to "unplug" by not watching any television, reading newspapers or accessing the internet, so when I returned from vacation yesterday (Thursday 8/14) to learn of the tragic death of Robin Williams, I was stunned. I knew I would post in The Critical Thinker about it, however, the only words that kept popping into my mind were the lyrics written by Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and Henry Cosby for the song The Tears of a Clown. Rhonda B. Graham writing in The News Journal (delawareonline) eloquently expressed her thoughts about Mr. Williams utilizing lines from the lyrics as well. It is absolutely amazing how one who made so many of us laugh was so sad himself. I loved the Genie in Aladdin and of course Mrs. Doubtfire (I can't count the number of times I have watched Mrs. Doubtfire). I can remember watching Mork and Mindy as a child and his performances in Good Morning Vietnam and Dead Poets Society and many of his other work.

At the end of the day, when all is said and done, and all is done and said, it once again goes forth to show that we just do not know what anyone is going through regardless of fortune, fame or the smile on his/her face. We none are in a position to judge anyone else because we none know what others are going through. Robin Williams will surely be missed as one who had the gift of making others laugh. Something to critically think about.

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 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
Oh, 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, oh yeah
Just like Pagliacci did
I try to keep my sadness hid
Smiling in the public eye
But in my lonely room cry
the tears of a clown
When there's no one around
Oh, yeah baby
Now if there's a smile upon my face
Don't let my glad expression
Give you the wrong impression
Don't let the smile I wear
Make you think that I don't care
Really I'm sad I'm hurting so bad

Songwriters
WONDER, STEVIE/ROBINSON, SMOKEY/COSBY, HENRY
Published by
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing