Artist: Smokey Robinson
Song: Tears of a clown - acoustic session
Music: Stevie Wonder & Hank Cosby
Lyrics: William 'Smokey' Robinson
Tabbed by: DJ
20th July 2014
Based on Smokey's acoustic session with Daryl Hall
Clip at this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDVceKdx1UY
They play this a whole tone and a half lower than the
original Tamla track, either to suit Daryl's range,
or possibly for Smokey's benefit too, as most singers
tend to loose a bit of top range as they get older.
CAPO: 1st fret (Sounds in the key of Bb)
Chord names and fret positions are relative to the capo:
A = x02220 E = 022100
D = xx0232 C#/F = xx3121
G = 320033 F#m = 244222
Dmaj7 = xx0222
*********************************************************
[Intro]
A
e |---0-------0----0--h2---|--h3--2--0---------| [x2]
B |---2---3----------------|------------3--2---|
G |---2--------------------|-------------------|
D |---2--------------------|-------------------|
A |---0--------------------|-------------------|
E |------------------------|-------------------|
[Verse 1]
A D G D A D
| / / / / | Oh, yeah, yeah - yeah!
G D A D G
Now, if there's a smile u - pon my face,
D A D G
It's only there trying to fool the public,
D A D G
But when it comes down to fooling you,
D A D G D
Now, honey, that's quite a different subject,
A D G D
But don't let my glad ex - pression...
A D G
Give you the wrong im - pression!
[Verse 2]
D A D G D
Really, I'm sad--------, hoh, sadder than...
(Sad, sad, sad, sad!)
A D G D
...Sad------! You're gone, and I'm hurting so...
(I ...hurt ...so ...bad!)
A D G D
...Bad! Like a clown I pre - tend to be...
(I pre - tend ...to be ...glad!)
A D G D
...Glad!
(Sad, sad, sad, sad!)
[Chorus]
E C#/F
Now, there's some sad things known to man,
F#m Dmaj7
But ain't too much sadder than the tears of a...
A
...clown--------, when there's no one
e |---0-------0----0--h2---|--h3--2----0-------------|
B |---2---3----------------|----------------3----2---|
G |---2--------------------|-------------------------|
D |---2--------------------|-------------------------|
A |---0--------------------|-------------------------|
E |------------------------|-------------------------|
A
a -round------! Um -hum!
e |---0-------0----0--h2---|--h3--2----0-------------|
B |---2---3----------------|----------------3----2---|
G |---2--------------------|-------------------------|
D |---2--------------------|-------------------------|
A |---0--------------------|-------------------------|
E |------------------------|-------------------------|
A D G D A D
| / / / / | Oh, yeah, baby!
[Verse 3]
G D A D G
Now, if I ap - pear to be care - free,
D A D G
It's only to camou - flage my sadness,
D A D G
In order to shield my pride I've tried...
D A D G
...To cover this hurt with a show of gladness,
D A D G D
But don't let my show con - vince you,
A D G
That I've been happy since you...
[Verse 4]
D A D G D
...De - cided to go-------- oh, I need you..
(Why ...did ...you ...go?)
A D G D
..So, I'm hurt, and I want you to..
(I ...need ...you ...so!)
A D G D
...know, but for others I put on a...
(Want ...you ...to ...know...)
A D G D
...Show! Oo-oo, woh!
(...It's ...just ...a ...show!)
[Chorus]
E C#/F
There's some sad things known to man,
F#m Dmaj7
But ain't too much sadder than the tears of a...
A
...clown--------, when there's no one
e |---0-------0----0--h2---|--h3--2----0-------------|
B |---2---3----------------|----------------3----2---|
G |---2--------------------|-------------------------|
D |---2--------------------|-------------------------|
A |---0--------------------|-------------------------|
E |------------------------|-------------------------|
A
a -round------! Oh, yeah---------!
e |---0-------0----0--h2---|--h3--2----0-------------|
B |---2---3----------------|----------------3----2---|
G |---2--------------------|-------------------------|
D |---2--------------------|-------------------------|
A |---0--------------------|-------------------------|
E |------------------------|-------------------------|
[Verse 5]
A D G D
Just like Pagli - acci did,
A D G D
I try to keep my sadness hid,
A D G
Smiling in the public eye,
D A D G D
But in my lonely room I cry... the tears of a...
A
...clown--------, when there's no one
e |---0-------0----0--h2---|--h3--2----0-------------|
B |---2---3----------------|----------------3----2---|
G |---2--------------------|-------------------------|
D |---2--------------------|-------------------------|
A |---0--------------------|-------------------------|
E |------------------------|-------------------------|
A D G D A D
...a - round------! Oh, yeah, baby!
[Verse 6]
G D A D G
Now, if there's a smile u - pon my face,
(Tears of a clown----------------!)
D A D G
Don't let my glad ex - pression,
(Doo -doo, doo - doo----------------------!)
D A D G
Give you the wrong im - pression,
(Tears of a clown----------------------!)
D A D G
Don't let this smile I wear,
(Doo -doo, doo - doo--------------------!)
D A D G
Make you think that I don't care,
(Tears of a clown-----------------------!)
D A D G
When really I'm sad----------,
(Doo-doo, doo-doo---------------!)
D A D G D
Hurting so bad-------!
(Tears of a clown--------------------!)
[Coda- Improvise vocal and repeat]
A D G D A
||: / / / / | / / / / :|| / ||
