The Tears of a Clown

Name: The Tears of a Clown
Duration: 3 min 1 s

~ Recording by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Appears on releases

#	Title	Length	Track artist	Release title	Release artist	Release group type	Country/Date	Label	Catalog#
Official
1.12	The Tears of a Clown	3:06	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Make It Happen	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album	US1967-08-29	Tamla	TS-276
1.1	The Tears of a Clown	2:56	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Tears of a Clown	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Single	US1967	Motown	Y 423F
1.12	The Tears of a Clown	3:02	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Tears of a Clown	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album	US1970-12	Tamla	TS 276
1.1	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Motown Chartbusters Vol.5	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1971	Tamla Motown (for non-US releases only)	STML 11181
1.3	The Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	One Dozen Roses	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album	US1971
1.12	The Tears Of A Clown	3:00	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	18 Greatest Hits (D: QM \| F: RC720 \| UK: QK)	Smokey Robinson	Album + Compilation	-1983	Motown	WD72419
1.12	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	18 Greatest Hits	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album + Compilation	US1984	Tamla	TCD06071TD
2.14	Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	After Dark	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1984	Impression Records (80s UK compilations)	IMPDK 2
1.12	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	25 #1 Hits From 25 Years	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1985	Motown	2-6132
1.15	The Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Motown Hits of Gold, Volume 4	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1985	Motown	WL 72404
1.12	The Tears of a Clown	2:58	Smokey Robinson and the Miracles	18 Greatest Hits	Smokey Robinson and the Miracles	Album + Compilation	US1986-01-01	Tamla	TCD06071TD
2.12	The Tears of a Clown	3:02	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Anthology	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album + Compilation	US1986	Motown	3746307932
1.24	The Tears of a Clown	3:02	Smokey Robinson and The Miracles	Going to a Go‐Go / The Tears of a Clown	Smokey Robinson and The Miracles	Album + Compilation	US1986	Tamla	TCD08004TD
1.13	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Motown’s Biggest Pop Hits - All #1 on Billboard’s Charts	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1986	Motown	MCD09060MD
1.13	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Motown’s Biggest Pop Hits - All #1 on Billboard’s Charts	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1986	Motown	WD72450
1.12	The Tears of a Clown	3:02	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Tears of a Clown	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album	US1986	Motown	MCD09092MD, MOTD-5156
4.1	Tears of a Clown	3:02	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	20 Years of No. 1 Hits: 1956-1975	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	-1987	BMG (the former Bertelsmann Music Group, defunct since 2004-08-05; for releases dated 2008 and later, see annotation), Reader’s Digest
6.7	Tears of a Clown	3:02	The Miracles	20 Years of No. 1 Hits: 1956–1975	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1987	RCA (RCA Records: simple ‘RCA’ or ‘RCA’ with lightning bolt in circle)	RB4-243
1.10	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Introduction to the Motown Elite 9000 Series	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1987	Motown	MCD00900MD
1.5	The Tears of a Clown	2:54	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Motown Dance Party	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1987	Motown	ZD 72700
1.16	The Tears of a Clown	3:02	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Smokey Robinson’s Greatest Hits / The Best of Marvin Gaye	Smokey Robinson / Marvin Gaye	Album + Compilation	CA1987	Silver Eagle Records	SED-10533A
1.5	The Tears Of A Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Most-Played Oldies on America's Jukeboxes: Motown's Greatest Artists	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1987	Tamla Motown (for non-US releases only)	WD72601
1.5	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Most-Played Oldies on America’s Jukeboxes: Motown’s Greatest Artists	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1987	Motown	MCD09097MS
1.8	The Tears of a Clown	?:??	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Love Songs	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1988	Telstar Records (UK, mostly compilations)	STAR 2331
1.8	The Tears of a Clown	3:00	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Love Songs	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1988	Telstar Records (UK, mostly compilations)	TCD 2331
1.8	The Tears of a Clown	?:??	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Love Songs	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1988	Telstar Records (UK, mostly compilations)	STAC 2331
1.5	The Tears of a Clown	2:54	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Motown Dance Party	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1988	Motown	2XDE
1.15	The Tears of a Clown	3:02	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Motown Hits of Gold, Volume 4	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1988	Motown	WD72404
1.19	The Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	25 jaar Top 40 Hits, deel 2: ’69–’72	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	NL1989
1.4	The Tears of a Clown	3:00	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Billboard Top Rock’n’Roll Hits: 1970	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1989	Rhino (reissue label)	R2 70631
1.11	The Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Heart & Soul: 18 Classic Soul Cuts	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1989	PolyGram	840 534-2
1.17	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson and the Miracles	Sounds of the Seventies: 1970	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1989	Warner Special Products, Time–Life Music	OPCD-2575, SOD-01
1.10	The Tears of a Clown	2:57	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Hit History, Volume 16: 1970	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	NL1990-07	EVA (for use with NL/BE/FR releases only. See annotation)	PD 74786
1.14	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Composer Series: The Greatest Songs Written by Smokey Robinson	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1990-10-25	Motown
2.3	The Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Motown Collection	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1990	Telstar Records (UK, mostly compilations)	TCD 2375
1.2	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Tracks of My Tears: The Best Of	Smokey Robinson	Album + Compilation	GB1990	Dino Entertainment
3.14	Tears of a Clown	?:??	The Miracles	25 Years of #1 Hits	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1991	Warner Special Products, Time–Life Music	OPCD-8501, R103-09
5.15	The Tears of a Clown	3:00	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	25 Years of Great Original Hits: The Motown Story	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1991	Reader’s Digest	RDCD 231-236
1.17	Tears of a Clown	2:56	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	De Pre Historie 1970, Volume 1	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	BE1991	BMG Ariola Belgium NV/SA (do not use this as an imprint!)	260.742
1.1	The Tears of a Clown	3:06	Smokey Robinson	The Tears of a Clown	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album + Compilation	-1991	Ariola Express	290372
1.10	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Endless Love: 15 of Motown’s Greatest Love Songs	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	DE1992-01-20	Motown	ZD72451
1.2	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	12 #1 Hits from the 70's	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1992-03-09	Motown	3746352752
4.13	The Tears of a Clown	3:07	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1959–1971	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1992-11-03	Motown	374636312, 3746363122
1.11	The Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	35 Years of Rock and Roll	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1992	Sony Music Special Products	A2 22681, A2 22682, A2 22683
1.1	The Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Rhythm & Blues: 1970	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1992	Warner Special Products, Time–Life Music	OPCD-2676, RHD-18
1.6	The Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson and the Miracles	Superhits: The Early '70s	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1992	Time–Life Music	SUD-16
1.12	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	The Miracles	The Greatest Hits	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album + Compilation	GB1992	Motown	530 121-2
1.12	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Greatest Hits	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album + Compilation	GB1992	Motown	530 121-1
1.12	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Greatest Hits	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album + Compilation	GB1992	Motown	530 121-4
1.1	Tears of a Clown	3:04	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Tears of a Clown	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album + Compilation	AU1993-05	Spectrum Music (Universal Music Group budget label)	5500732
1.3	The Tears of a Clown	3:02	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Greatest Hits of the Seventies: Get It On	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1993	The Hit Label	AHLCD12
4.4	The Tears of a Clown	3:07	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The 35th Anniversary Collection	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album + Compilation	US1994-02-22	Motown	37463-6334-2
2.7	The Tears of a Clown	3:02	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Motown: The Ultimate Hits Collection	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1994-10-21	Motown	530 465-2
1.13	The Tears of a Clown	3:00	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Committed to Soul	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1994	Arcade (record label founded in 1970s by Herman Heinsbroek; use this as its universal imprint)	ARC 3100142
1.13	Tears of a Clown	3:05	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Crooklyn, Volume II	Various Artists	Album + Soundtrack	US1994	MCA Records (1967–2003; name as in imprint during 1972–1990)	MCAD-11065
1.10	The Tears of a Clown	3:06	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Magic Motown	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	FR1994	Motown France, Polydor (worldwide imprint, see annotation)
1.8	The Tears of a Clown	3:03	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Motown Magic: The Ultimate Hits Collection	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1994	Motown	530457-2
2.1	Tears of a Clown	3:02	Smokey Robinson	The 70’s: 1970: Back in the Groove	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	DE1994	Time–Life Music	TL 597/20
1.3	Tears Of A Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson	The Hitsound Of Motown	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	NL1994	Polydor B.V. (not an imprint; NL subsidiary company of Polydor International)	530 453-2
1.11	The Tears of a Clown	3:02	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The No. 1 Hits 1970	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	-1994	SR International	79 598 9
2.18	The Tears of a Clown	3:07	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Best of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album + Compilation	US1995-03-21	Motown	31453-0472-2
1.6	The Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	AM Gold: The Early ’70s	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1995	Time–Life Music, Warner Special Products	AM1-13, OPCD-2668A
1.12	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Greatest Hits	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album + Compilation	GB1996-03-18
1.10	The Tears of a Clown	3:03	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The One and Only Motown Album	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	DE1996-11-18	Motown	530 755-2
1.1	The Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Solid Gold Soul 1970	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1996	Warner Special Products, Time–Life Music	OPCD-2676A, R838-05
1.2	Tears of a Clown	3:00	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Simply the Best: Classic Soul	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1997-03-01	Warner Strategic Marketing United Kingdom	9548-35204-2
1.1	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Motown Chartbusters, Volume 5	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1997-11-10	Spectrum Music (Universal Music Group budget label)	554 1482
1.14	Tears of a Clown	3:00	Smokey Robinson	In the Midnight Hour	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1997	Crimson Productions (UK budget reissue label; imprint of Crimson Productions Ltd.)	CRIMIDCD07
2.3	Tears of a Clown	2:57	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Best Seventies Album in the World… Ever!	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1997	Virgin (worldwide imprint of Virgin Records Ltd. and all its subsidiaries)	VTDCD 157
2.2	Tears of a Clown	3:00	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The No. 1 Motown Album	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1997	Universal Music (plain logo: “Universal Music”)	530 764-2
1.6	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Tracks of My Tears	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album + Compilation	US1997	Motown	530 794-2
1.19	Tears of a Clown	3:00	Smokey Robinson	Motown 40 Forever	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1998-08-31	Motown	314530849-2
1.5	Tears of a Clown	2:58	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Motown Memories	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1998	Marks & Spencer	MS4966
1.20	The Tears of a Clown	3:00	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Ready Steady Go! The Sixties Sound of Motown	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1998	PolyGram TV (a division of PolyGram Record Operations Ltd.)	530 865-2
1.14	The Tears of a Clown	3:04	Smokey Robinson and The Miracles	The Ultimate Collection	Smokey Robinson and The Miracles	Album + Compilation	CA1998	Motown	MOTD 0857
1.14	The Tears of a Clown	3:04	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Ultimate Collection	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album + Compilation	US1998	Motown	530 857-2
1.7	The Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Dancing in the Street	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1999-02-22	Universal Music TV (UK, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited)	549 510-2, 549 511-2
1.5	The Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	No. 1's of the Seventies	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB1999-08-02	Spectrum Music (Universal Music Group budget label)	544 099-2
1.1	The Tears of a Clown	3:03	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album + Compilation	XW1999-08-10	Motown
1.19	The Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	R&B Soul Classics	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	DE1999-09-06	Repertoire Records (Hamburg‐based multinational reissue label)	REP 4756
1.1	The Tears of a Clown	3:03	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album + Compilation	US1999	Motown	012 153 398-2
1.3	Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson	1970’s R&B Classics	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1999	Compass Productions (budget compilations)	97307 00572
1.3	The Tears of a Clown	2:57	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Greatest Hits of the Millennium: 70’s, Volume 1	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	NL1999	BMG (the former Bertelsmann Music Group, defunct since 2004-08-05; for releases dated 2008 and later, see annotation)	74321 673352
2.16	The Tears of a Clown	3:03	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Motown: The Classic Years (BMG club edition)	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US2000-08-29	UTV Records, BMG Direct (BMG’s direct marketing company/club editions)	012 159 466-2, D236325
1.11	The Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	#1 Love Songs of the ’70s	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US2000	Universal Music Special Markets, Time–Life Music	314545889-2, R142-19
2.17	The Tears of a Clown	3:00	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Golden Groups of the Sixties	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB2000	Reader’s Digest	RDCD2911, RDCD2912, RDCD2913, RDCD2914, RDCD2915, RDCD2916
1.16	The Tears of a Clown	2:58	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Respect - The Soundtrack to the Soul Generation	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	AR2000	Universal (plain logo “Universal” used by Universal Music and Universal Pictures)	524 866 2
2.3	The Tears of a Clown	3:00	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Respect: The Soundtrack to The Soul Generation	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	FR2000	Universal (plain logo “Universal” used by Universal Music and Universal Pictures)	524 863 2
1.12	Tears of a Clown	3:05	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Soul Train: The Dance Years 1970	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US2000	Rhino (reissue label)	79833
1.5	The Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Cool Sound of the 70s	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB2000	Telstar TV	TTVCD3148
1.13	The Tears of a Clown	2:57	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	The Greatest No. 1 Singles	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB2001-01-08	Virgin TV	VTDCD 357
1.3	The Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	I Love 70s	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	GB2001-05-21	Virgin (worldwide imprint of Virgin Records Ltd. and all its subsidiaries)	VTDCD372
1.8	Tears of a Clown	2:59	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Motown 1970s, Volume 1	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US2001-10-30	Motown
2.5	The Tears of a Clown	2:58	Smokey Robinson	Heartbeat: Moments	Various Artists	Album + Soundtrack	GB2001	Universal Music TV (UK, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited)	584093-2
1.7	Tears of a Clown	3:00	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Modmania	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	CA2001	Sony Music Direct (Canadian label)	TVK 24111
2.19	The Tears of a Clown	3:03	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Ooo Baby Baby: The Anthology	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Album + Compilation	US2002-09-24	Chronicles (a label under UMG’s Universal Music Enterprises division), Motown	440 064 481-2
1.3	Tears of a Clown	3:01	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	100% Motown ’70s	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US2002	Motown	440 018 939-2
1.3	Tears of a Clown	2:58	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Best of de pre historie '70	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	BE2002	EVA (for use with NL/BE/FR releases only. See annotation)	74321 97528 2
2.4	The Tears of a Clown	3:02	Smokey Robinson	Motown Dance Party!, Volume 1	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	-2002	Universal Special Products	USP 84445
(unknown)
1.5	The Tears of a Clown	3:06	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	Motown Millenium	Various Artists	Album + Compilation	US1999

Relationships

guitar:	Marvin Tarplin (on 1966-09-26)
instruments:	The Funk Brothers (on 1966-09-26)
background vocals:	Warren “Pete” Moore (on 1966-09-26) Claudette Robinson (on 1966-09-26) Bobby Rogers (on 1966-09-26) Ronald White (soul singer, founding member of The Miracles) (on 1966-09-26)
lead vocals:	Smokey Robinson (on 1966-09-26)

phonographic copyright (℗) by:	Motown Record Corporation (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1967) UMG Recordings, Inc. (operational headquarters of Universal Music Group, based in Santa Monica, USA; read annotations) (in 1970)

recorded at:	Hitsville (Motown Records) in Detroit, United States (on 1966-09-26)

mash-ups:	Tears of a Killer Klown (Smokey Robinson vs. The Dickies) by iWillBattle (mashup DJ) The Bravery of a Clown (The Bravery vs. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles) by TigerVegan

part of:	The Rolling Stone Magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 313) (order: 314)

SecondHandSongs:	https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/4152 [info]

recording of:	The Tears of a Clown (on 1966-09-26)

The Tears of a Clown

lyricist:	Smokey Robinson
composer:	Henry Cosby Smokey Robinson Stevie Wonder

publisher:	Black Bull Music, Inc. Jobete Music Ltd Jobette Music (UK) Ltd.

referred to in medleys:	More Stars (12″ mix) (12″ mix, duration: ~11:56 on vinyl, ~11:38 on cd)

The Tears of a Clown

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The Tears of a Clown

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The Tears of a Clown

Appears on releases

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The Tears of a Clown

Recording information

Rating

Tags

Genres

Other tags

External links

Editing

Collections