Tears Of A Clown

How good is Tears of a Clown on a scale of 1-10?

  • Total voters
    16
This solo is drenched with emotion and played with the finest feel. Can't believe what I'm reading here. All this talk about imperfect notes you're hearing (according to some unimportant theory Maiden is probably not aware of), but what matters here is feeling the solo. This portrayal of sadness, executed with a daring vulnerability (this is done so well with these intervals) could not have matched the topic in a better way. Adrian unfolds the "drama", with its opposite sides, and Dave literally brings us to the end of the life of the man this is about (sudden stop included).
 
I agree, this solo is minimalistic, but very emotional and gratifying to me as a listener. I probably like Dave doing that more than his typical 'raining notes.'
 
I'll give the song a few spins today, maybe the solo will grow on me but at the moment I'm not digging it. It does need to be higher in the mix though
 
Babo 91 said:
It does need to be higher in the mix though
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They sound just like that live. Dave mainly plays solo on neck pickup and of course can't cut through the mix that easily as the other two (and doesn't)
And if you mix it louder then there is a real imbalance and mastering compressor makes everything else softer which is annoying :confused:
 
Brigantium said:
The only Mark Abery of any significance I can find is the director of a company which runs celebrity sports matches, some of them for charity. Steve has played in a couple of football matches his company organised. The booklet says Mark Abery provided the inspiration for Tears of a Clown, rather than it being about him.
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correct. and it seems that Robin Williams played one game too, so the song was probably inspired by Abery and Steve talking about the late comedian; the lyrics actually resemble a conversation
 
So I guess they had met Williams at some point, judging from we saw the sadness in his eyes, it came as no surprise?

Also, I googled the lyrics for Tears of a Clown, and there's a Smokey Robinson song of the same name, check these lyrics out, they tell a very similar story. Is "tears of a clown" an idiom in English? Or is it just a coincidence?

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 I 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
 
Tears of a Cloud - what a song. My third favorite on the album. Another relatively balladish song like Coming Home but heavy and epic as fuck. First solo is amazing, whoever plays it. Lyrics are great and can be taken both as Williams tribute and general tribute to "men behind the mask".
 
Listening to this song now. In my opinion, it's still not the strongest song on the album, but still pretty good. A good tribute to the great Robin Williams. He would be proud.
 
Ranko said:
So I guess they had met Williams at some point, judging from we saw the sadness in his eyes, it came as no surprise?

Also, I googled the lyrics for Tears of a Clown, and there's a Smokey Robinson song of the same name, check these lyrics out, they tell a very similar story. Is "tears of a clown" an idiom in English? Or is it just a coincidence?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what the actual origins of the expression are, tbh, it's not in common usage. The melancholy clown, laughing to hide the tears, is an old image, though.
 
I would have said "tears of a clown" as a phrase is in common usage, i think it comes from the opera pagliacci
 
Forostar said:
This solo is drenched with emotion and played with the finest feel. Can't believe what I'm reading here. All this talk about imperfect notes you're hearing (according to some unimportant theory Maiden is probably not aware of), but what matters here is feeling the solo. This portrayal of sadness, executed with a daring vulnerability (this is done so well with these intervals) could not have matched the topic in a better way. Adrian unfolds the "drama", with its opposite sides, and Dave literally brings us to the end of the life of the man this is about (sudden stop included).
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It's like Adrian was playing the high parts of the clown's life, and Dave was playing the dark lows.
 
This song sure manages to pack a lot into less than 5 minutes. I love how playful Bruce's vocals are on this song and the solos are great. Definitely a good song.
 
A Man goes to a doctor and says he's depressed, he says life seems harsh and cruel, he feels all alone in a threatening world where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain.

The Doctor says "Treatment is simple, the great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight, go and see him and that should pick you up"

The Man bursts into tears

"But Doctor" says the man "I Am Pagliacci"
 
Good interview with Robin Williams. He was not too kind to himself either over the years...Cocaine and alcoholism.

Start at 3:25

 
I did not like the song title at all in the beginning, but I was very very surprised, it is such a beauty! The song I remembered the most after the first listen.

Tomorrow comes, tomorrow goes..
 
Still loving this song after numerous listens.
Reall strong vocal melodies throughout and quite heavy.
I'm currently giving it a strong 9/10...
 
Tears Of A Clown has just a phenomenally atmospheric chorus.

In fact there are so many great choruses on this album, it's a real treat, isn't it?

I feel that this song and The Man Of Sorrows would fit perfectly on any Bruce solo album.

9/10
 
This one was a rather pleasant surprise. When I've heard about the title and the topic, I was honestly afraid... Afraid it's going to be some cheesy ballad full of clichéd lyrics (you know, a kitsch by any other name...) But ever since I've first heard it myself, it blew me away and it's really one of the album's highlights (along with TBOS, SOTV, TRATB and probably IESF)... It's just so emotional, so strong. And H's solo (that is him, the first one, right?) completely catapulted me from my seat. If there ever was a fitting epitaph for Robin Williams, there it is - an unexpectedly topical song for Maiden, it is a strong nine in my book. Much more emotional to me than the whole of Empire, to be honest (and I like that one).
 
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