The Tears of a Clown

"The Tears of a Clown" is a 1967 song by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles for the Tamla (Motown) label, originally released on the 1967 album Make It Happen. The song was re-released in the United Kingdom as a single in September 1970, where it became a #1 hit on the UK singles chart. Subsequently, Motown released "Tears of a Clown" as a single in the United States as well, where it quickly became a #1 hit on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart and Black Singles Chart. The single's success caused Miracles lead singer/producer/songwriter Smokey Robinson, who had announce plans to leave the act, to stay with the group until 1972.

Related Topics:
1967 - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - Motown - United Kingdom - September - 1970 - UK singles chart - United States - Billboard - Pop Singles Chart - Black Singles Chart - Smokey Robinson - 1972

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Stevie Wonder and his producer Hank Cosby wrote the music for the song, and Cosby produced the instrumental track recording. Wonder gave Smokey Robinson the instrumental track as a Christmas present at the 1967 Motown Christmas party. Robinson, who remarked that the song "sounded like a circus", provided lyrics that reflected his vision and sang lead vocal. In the song, Robinson's character, hurt by a lover who left him, compares himself to

Related Topics:
Stevie Wonder - Hank Cosby - Christmas - 1967

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Issued as an album track on the Make It Happen LP, "The Tears of a Clown" was not released as a single. By 1969, Robinson had tired of endlessly touring with the Miracles, and wanted to remain home in Detroit, Michigan with his wife Claudette and their two children, Berry and Tamla (both named after aspects of the Motown corporation). Robinson informed his bandmates Pete Moore, Bobby Rogers, and best friend Ronald White that he would be retiring from the act to concentrate on his duties as vice-president of Motown Records.

Related Topics:
1969 - Detroit, Michigan - Claudette - Pete Moore - Bobby Rogers - Ronald White - Vice-president

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In the meantime, Motown's British offices were clamoring for a new hit single from the Miracles, who were very popular in the United Kingdom. With no material available from the group, which was now planning to break up, Motown searched through their back catalog and happened upon "The Tears of a Clown". A new mix of the song was made in February 1970 for the single release, and "Tears of a Clown" became a #1 hit in the U.K. after its September release.

Related Topics:
United Kingdom - February - 1970 - September

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This newfound popularity prompted Motown Records to release the song as a single in the United States in December, where it became a #1 hit on both the pop and R&B charts within a few weeks of its release. Despite the fact that The Miracles had been one of Motown's premier acts in the early and mid-1960s and its first successful group act, "Tears of a Clown" was their first and only #1 hit while Smokey Robinson was lead singer.

Related Topics:
Motown Records - December - 1960s

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The 45 single was issued with two different b-sides. THe first pressing had an alternate version of the 1967 Miracles single "The Love I Saw in You was Just a Mirage" included on the flip side of "Tears of a Clown", while the second included a new Miracles song, "Promise Me". Motown released a Tears of a Clown LP in 1970 as well, which was essentially a re-packaging of the Miracles' 1968 Greatest Hits, Vol.2 LP.

Related Topics:
B-side - 1970 - 1968

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Two years later, Smokey Robinson decided to follow through with his plans to leave the Miracles and retire. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles embarked on a six-month farewell tour, which culminated in a July 16, 1972 performance in Washington, DC, where Robinson introduced the Miracles' new lead singer, Billy Griffin.

Related Topics:
July 16 - 1972 - Washington, DC

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Today, "The Tears of a Clown" continues to be a popular radio request.

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