[Intro]
Oh yeah, yeah

[Verse 1]
Now if there's a smile on my face
It's only there tryin' to fool the public
But when it comes down to foolin' you
Now, honey, that's quite a different subject
But don't let my glad expression
Give you the wrong impression

[Pre-Chorus]
Really I'm sad
(Sad, sad, sad, sad)
Oh, sadder than sad
(I'm hurt so bad)
You're gone, and I'm hurtin' so bad
(I pretend to be glad)
Like a clown, I pretend to be glad
(Sad, sad, sad, sad)

[Chorus]
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

[Verse 2]
Now if I appear to be carefree
It's only to camouflage my sadness
In order to shield my pride, I’ve tried
To cover this hurt with a show of gladness
But don't let my show convince you
That I've been happy since you

[Pre-Chorus]
Decided to go
(Why did you go?)
Oh, I need you so
(I need you so)
I'm hurt and I want you to know
(Want you to know)
But for others I put on a show
(It's just a show) Ooh-oh

[Chorus]
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

[Verse 3]
Just like Pagliacci did (The great pretender)
I try to keep my sadness hid
Smiling in the public eye (The great pretender)
But in my lonely room, I cry

[Chorus]
The tears of a clown
When there's no one around
Oh yeah

[Instrumental Outro]