Send In the Clowns
Song by Judy Collins
Isn't it rich?
Are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground
You in mid-air
Send in the clowns
Isn't it bliss?
Don't you approve?
One who keeps tearing around
One who can't move
Where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns
Just when I'd stopped
Opening doors
Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours
Making my entrance again
With my usual flair
Sure of my lines
No one is there
Don't you love farce?
My fault, I fear
I thought that you'd want what I want
Sorry, my dear
But where are the clowns?
Quick, send in the clowns
Don't bother they're here
Isn't it rich?
Isn't it queer?
Losing my timing this late
In my career
But where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns
Well, maybe next year...
Songwriters: Stephen Sondheim. For non-commercial use only.
Data From: Musixmatch
https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858509322/
Send In the Clowns Lyrics
Isn't it rich?
Are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground,
You in mid-air,
Send in the clowns
Isn't it bliss?
Don't you approve?
One who keeps tearing around,
One who can't move,
Where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns.
Just when I'd stopped opening doors,
Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours.
Making my entrance again with my usual flair
Sure of my lines
No one is there.
Don't you love farce?
My fault, I fear.
I thought that you'd want what I want
Sorry, my dear!
And where are the clowns
There ought to be clowns
Don't bother, they're here.
Isn't it rich?
Isn't it queer?
Losing my timing this late in my career.
And where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns
Well, maybe next year.
by viceprincipalgupta
14y ago
Sondheim wrote this song for a character named Desiree in his musical "A Little Night Music." Desiree is an actress approaching fifty. She spent her younger years "tearing around" with a bunch of men and never actually settled down. One of the men was Fredrik, who wanted a committed relationship from her when they were younger. He truly loved her. She turned down his proposal because she was not yet ready to be "on the ground."
Years later, they find each other. Fredrik has a very young and very beautiful (but very naive) wife. Desiree decides that she is going to seduce him and win him back because she is finally ready to give up all of her little affairs and settle down. She invites him to her mother's enormous estate in the country.
Much to her dismay, when she asks him if he will share with her a "coherent existence after so many years of muddle," he actually says no. He loves Desiree when his eyes are open, but when his eyes are not open -- which is most of the time -- he loves his young wife.
"Send in the Clowns" is Desiree's response to this rejection. She is disgusted with herself for having turned down his overtures when she was younger, but she is also bemused by the absurd irony. Since she is a person of the theater, she is used to having comedic moments (clowns) sent in to save a show that is failing. She says "send in the clowns" because she feels that the situation is so devastating and ridiculous that "there ought to be clowns." But there are already clowns -- She and Fredrik are the clowns; the fools. After she sings "Don't bother -- they're here," Fredrik apologizes to her and leaves the room.
She sings the last verse to herself. She is laughing at herself and crying for herself at the same time. Desiree, the "one who keeps tearing around," has lost her youthful mask.
https://sites.psu.edu/pscsalittlenightmusic/2019/10/27/the-origins-of-send-in-the-clowns/
The Origins of “Send in the Clowns”
Considered one of, if not the one, Sondheim’s most popular songs, “Send in the Clowns” is a song in A Little Night Music that appears in Act 2. The character of Desirée Armfeldt sings this emotional ballad as she attempts to reveal her feelings for Fredrik, her former lover. Since it’s first appearance in 1973, “Send in the Clowns” has gone on to become a popular standard in American culture. In the years following, Frank Sinatra recorded a cover of the song; in 1975, Judy Collins’ recorded a cover that went on to win a Grammy Award for Song of the Year.
What is perhaps most peculiar about this wildly popular song is that it almost did not exist. Here’s what Sondheim had to say on the matter, directly from his book of annotated lyrics, Finishing the Hat:
The song in this scene was supposed to be Fredrik’s, since the action is his, the passive reaction being Desirée’s, and I started to write one. But by design, Desirée had only two songs in the first act, neither one a solo, and none in the second. During rehearsals, Hal [Prince] called me to say that he thought this scene might be the ideal place for a solo for her and that he had directed it so that the thrust of the action came from her rather than from Fredrik. I went skeptically to see a rehearsal, and he had indeed accomplished what he had promised: the scene was now Desirée’s.
When it came to casting the role of Desirée Armfeldt, Sondheim and Prince knew that they needed someone in early middle age, charming, and seductive enough to make Fredrik think of cheating on, and perhaps even leaving, his beautiful and very young wife. She had to be an actress capable of playing light comedy, of which there were few practitioners still working on the stage; the tradition of light comedy had been all but replaced by the more “forceful situation comedies of the Neil Simon school”. They knew that whomever they cast with those qualities, they would not also be a strong singer.
So, Glynis Johns was cast. Johns was a British stage actress, most famous in the United States for playing Winifred Banks in the Disney film adaptation of P.L. Travers’ Mary Poppins. To Sondheim’s delighted surprise, Johns had a small, but silvery voice that was musical and smokily pure. Sondheim was a “sucker for smoky female sounds”.
Sondheim had tailored songs before to fit the talents and limitations of particular performers (“Everything’s Coming Up Roses” for Ethel Merman and “The Ladies Who Lunch” for Elaine Stritch). Johns’ chief limitation was an inability to sustain a note; her breathiness was her liability as a singer. Sondheim’s solution was to write short, breathy phrases for her (this suggested questions rather than statements). When recording the song, Johns recorded it perfectly in one take, despite only being in a recording studio once before for Mary Poppins. Johns’ version of “Send in the Clowns” remains Sondheim’s favorite to this day.
To this day, Sondheim is still unsure of why “Send in the Clowns” is so immensely popular. He doesn’t think the song is eminently worth singing; why this ballad of all the ones he had written?
When asked about what the song is truly meant to be about, Sondheim stated:
I get a lot of letters over the years asking what the title means and what the song’s about; I never thought it would be in any way esoteric. I wanted to use theatrical imagery in the song, because she’s an actress, but it’s not supposed to be a circus […] [I]t’s a theater reference meaning ‘if the show isn’t going well, let’s send in the clowns’; in other words, ‘let’s do the jokes.’ I always want to know, when I’m writing a song, what the end is going to be, so ‘Send in the Clowns’ didn’t settle in until I got the notion, ‘Don’t bother, they’re here’, which means that ‘We are the fools.’
“Send in the Clowns” and A Little Night Music came at a point in Sondheim and Prince’s careers where they were at a standstill. Follies (1971) had been an utter disaster, financially speaking. With their next show, Sondheim and Prince needed a guaranteed hit. They relied on the jokes and charm of A Little Night Music to win over the hearts of audiences and succeeded in doing so.
Penn State Centre Stage’s production of A Little Night Music runs November 5 – 15th in the Playhouse Theatre. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here.
https://www.musicianwages.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-send-in-the-clowns-by-stephen-sondheim/
The Meaning Behind The Song: Send In the Clowns by Stephen Sondheim
In the world of musical theatre, there are few songs that evoke such deep emotion and contemplation as “Send In the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim. This hauntingly beautiful ballad is from the acclaimed musical “A Little Night Music,” and it has captured the hearts of audiences for decades. But what is the true meaning behind this iconic song?
Table of Contents
At its core, “Send In the Clowns” explores themes of regret, missed opportunities, and the complexities of love. The lyrics delve into the bittersweet moments of life when we look back and realize the chances we didn’t take and the relationships we let slip away. Sondheim masterfully weaves together introspective questions and poignant metaphors to create a melancholic atmosphere that resonates with listeners.
source:
[[ to be filled in ]]
[[ to be filled in ]]
E. O. Wilson said that, he feels that Glenn Close rendition of Send in the clowns, reflected his ...
[[ I have no idea which recorded version of Glenn Close E. O. Wilson listened to, or if it was a theatrical staged rendition ]]
Song by Judy Collins
Isn't it rich?
Are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground
You in mid-air
Send in the clowns
Isn't it bliss?
Don't you approve?
One who keeps tearing around
One who can't move
Where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns
Just when I'd stopped
Opening doors
Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours
Making my entrance again
With my usual flair
Sure of my lines
No one is there
Don't you love farce?
My fault, I fear
I thought that you'd want what I want
Sorry, my dear
But where are the clowns?
Quick, send in the clowns
Don't bother they're here
Isn't it rich?
Isn't it queer?
Losing my timing this late
In my career
But where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns
Well, maybe next year...
Songwriters: Stephen Sondheim. For non-commercial use only.
Data From: Musixmatch
https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858509322/
Send In the Clowns Lyrics
Isn't it rich?
Are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground,
You in mid-air,
Send in the clowns
Isn't it bliss?
Don't you approve?
One who keeps tearing around,
One who can't move,
Where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns.
Just when I'd stopped opening doors,
Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours.
Making my entrance again with my usual flair
Sure of my lines
No one is there.
Don't you love farce?
My fault, I fear.
I thought that you'd want what I want
Sorry, my dear!
And where are the clowns
There ought to be clowns
Don't bother, they're here.
Isn't it rich?
Isn't it queer?
Losing my timing this late in my career.
And where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns
Well, maybe next year.
by viceprincipalgupta
14y ago
Sondheim wrote this song for a character named Desiree in his musical "A Little Night Music." Desiree is an actress approaching fifty. She spent her younger years "tearing around" with a bunch of men and never actually settled down. One of the men was Fredrik, who wanted a committed relationship from her when they were younger. He truly loved her. She turned down his proposal because she was not yet ready to be "on the ground."
Years later, they find each other. Fredrik has a very young and very beautiful (but very naive) wife. Desiree decides that she is going to seduce him and win him back because she is finally ready to give up all of her little affairs and settle down. She invites him to her mother's enormous estate in the country.
Much to her dismay, when she asks him if he will share with her a "coherent existence after so many years of muddle," he actually says no. He loves Desiree when his eyes are open, but when his eyes are not open -- which is most of the time -- he loves his young wife.
"Send in the Clowns" is Desiree's response to this rejection. She is disgusted with herself for having turned down his overtures when she was younger, but she is also bemused by the absurd irony. Since she is a person of the theater, she is used to having comedic moments (clowns) sent in to save a show that is failing. She says "send in the clowns" because she feels that the situation is so devastating and ridiculous that "there ought to be clowns." But there are already clowns -- She and Fredrik are the clowns; the fools. After she sings "Don't bother -- they're here," Fredrik apologizes to her and leaves the room.
She sings the last verse to herself. She is laughing at herself and crying for herself at the same time. Desiree, the "one who keeps tearing around," has lost her youthful mask.
https://sites.psu.edu/pscsalittlenightmusic/2019/10/27/the-origins-of-send-in-the-clowns/
The Origins of “Send in the Clowns”
Considered one of, if not the one, Sondheim’s most popular songs, “Send in the Clowns” is a song in A Little Night Music that appears in Act 2. The character of Desirée Armfeldt sings this emotional ballad as she attempts to reveal her feelings for Fredrik, her former lover. Since it’s first appearance in 1973, “Send in the Clowns” has gone on to become a popular standard in American culture. In the years following, Frank Sinatra recorded a cover of the song; in 1975, Judy Collins’ recorded a cover that went on to win a Grammy Award for Song of the Year.
What is perhaps most peculiar about this wildly popular song is that it almost did not exist. Here’s what Sondheim had to say on the matter, directly from his book of annotated lyrics, Finishing the Hat:
The song in this scene was supposed to be Fredrik’s, since the action is his, the passive reaction being Desirée’s, and I started to write one. But by design, Desirée had only two songs in the first act, neither one a solo, and none in the second. During rehearsals, Hal [Prince] called me to say that he thought this scene might be the ideal place for a solo for her and that he had directed it so that the thrust of the action came from her rather than from Fredrik. I went skeptically to see a rehearsal, and he had indeed accomplished what he had promised: the scene was now Desirée’s.
When it came to casting the role of Desirée Armfeldt, Sondheim and Prince knew that they needed someone in early middle age, charming, and seductive enough to make Fredrik think of cheating on, and perhaps even leaving, his beautiful and very young wife. She had to be an actress capable of playing light comedy, of which there were few practitioners still working on the stage; the tradition of light comedy had been all but replaced by the more “forceful situation comedies of the Neil Simon school”. They knew that whomever they cast with those qualities, they would not also be a strong singer.
So, Glynis Johns was cast. Johns was a British stage actress, most famous in the United States for playing Winifred Banks in the Disney film adaptation of P.L. Travers’ Mary Poppins. To Sondheim’s delighted surprise, Johns had a small, but silvery voice that was musical and smokily pure. Sondheim was a “sucker for smoky female sounds”.
Sondheim had tailored songs before to fit the talents and limitations of particular performers (“Everything’s Coming Up Roses” for Ethel Merman and “The Ladies Who Lunch” for Elaine Stritch). Johns’ chief limitation was an inability to sustain a note; her breathiness was her liability as a singer. Sondheim’s solution was to write short, breathy phrases for her (this suggested questions rather than statements). When recording the song, Johns recorded it perfectly in one take, despite only being in a recording studio once before for Mary Poppins. Johns’ version of “Send in the Clowns” remains Sondheim’s favorite to this day.
To this day, Sondheim is still unsure of why “Send in the Clowns” is so immensely popular. He doesn’t think the song is eminently worth singing; why this ballad of all the ones he had written?
When asked about what the song is truly meant to be about, Sondheim stated:
I get a lot of letters over the years asking what the title means and what the song’s about; I never thought it would be in any way esoteric. I wanted to use theatrical imagery in the song, because she’s an actress, but it’s not supposed to be a circus […] [I]t’s a theater reference meaning ‘if the show isn’t going well, let’s send in the clowns’; in other words, ‘let’s do the jokes.’ I always want to know, when I’m writing a song, what the end is going to be, so ‘Send in the Clowns’ didn’t settle in until I got the notion, ‘Don’t bother, they’re here’, which means that ‘We are the fools.’
“Send in the Clowns” and A Little Night Music came at a point in Sondheim and Prince’s careers where they were at a standstill. Follies (1971) had been an utter disaster, financially speaking. With their next show, Sondheim and Prince needed a guaranteed hit. They relied on the jokes and charm of A Little Night Music to win over the hearts of audiences and succeeded in doing so.
Penn State Centre Stage’s production of A Little Night Music runs November 5 – 15th in the Playhouse Theatre. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here.
https://www.musicianwages.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-send-in-the-clowns-by-stephen-sondheim/
The Meaning Behind The Song: Send In the Clowns by Stephen Sondheim
In the world of musical theatre, there are few songs that evoke such deep emotion and contemplation as “Send In the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim. This hauntingly beautiful ballad is from the acclaimed musical “A Little Night Music,” and it has captured the hearts of audiences for decades. But what is the true meaning behind this iconic song?
Table of Contents
At its core, “Send In the Clowns” explores themes of regret, missed opportunities, and the complexities of love. The lyrics delve into the bittersweet moments of life when we look back and realize the chances we didn’t take and the relationships we let slip away. Sondheim masterfully weaves together introspective questions and poignant metaphors to create a melancholic atmosphere that resonates with listeners.
source:
[[ to be filled in ]]
[[ to be filled in ]]
E. O. Wilson said that, he feels that Glenn Close rendition of Send in the clowns, reflected his ...
[[ I have no idea which recorded version of Glenn Close E. O. Wilson listened to, or if it was a theatrical staged rendition ]]
[[ you can look for other renditions (performance) (interpretation) (cover) (version) (re-recording) and judge for your self ]]
Send In the Clowns - Glenn Close
YouTube
BestArtsSondheim
1.4M views
Jan 13, 2009
https://youtu.be/vufO2FZY6XQ
https://youtu.be/vufO2FZY6XQ
Glynis Johns sings "Send in the Clowns" from A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (1973, Broadway)
1971FolliesFan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w7l1U7_m6M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w7l1U7_m6M
45,249 views Oct 5, 2023
Today the formidable and talented Ms Glynis Johns celebrates her 100th birthday. To celebrate the occasion, we present a news feature from February 1973 on the then newly-opened musical, A Little Night Music, in which Ms Johns originated the role of Desiree Armfeldt and for which she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Hughes Rudd interviews Stephen Sondheim on the score of the musical, who plays an excerpt of his favourite song from the show, followed by a clip of the song during a performance, as sung by Ms Johns. This would have been perhaps the first televised performance of the song, but the segment was not aired, and I edited the raw footage and sound materials together. At the end of the segment I have also included the raw footage from the performance so as to be able to hear Len Cariou's dialogue. Forgive the watermark.
1971FolliesFan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w7l1U7_m6M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w7l1U7_m6M
45,249 views Oct 5, 2023
Today the formidable and talented Ms Glynis Johns celebrates her 100th birthday. To celebrate the occasion, we present a news feature from February 1973 on the then newly-opened musical, A Little Night Music, in which Ms Johns originated the role of Desiree Armfeldt and for which she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Hughes Rudd interviews Stephen Sondheim on the score of the musical, who plays an excerpt of his favourite song from the show, followed by a clip of the song during a performance, as sung by Ms Johns. This would have been perhaps the first televised performance of the song, but the segment was not aired, and I edited the raw footage and sound materials together. At the end of the segment I have also included the raw footage from the performance so as to be able to hear Len Cariou's dialogue. Forgive the watermark.
Send In The Clowns (Live At The Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania / October 7, 1974)
YouTube
Frank Sinatra - Topic
47.5K views
May 3, 2018
https://youtu.be/Q5oLRtIstwQ
https://youtu.be/Q5oLRtIstwQ
[[ full orchestra ?? ]]
Send In The Clowns (From ‘A Little Night Music’)
YouTube
Frank Sinatra - Topic
275 views
1 month ago
https://youtu.be/6EeBXl5ZbXY
https://youtu.be/6EeBXl5ZbXY
YouTube
Frank Sinatra - Topic
47.5K views
May 3, 2018
https://youtu.be/Q5oLRtIstwQ
https://youtu.be/Q5oLRtIstwQ
[[ full orchestra ?? ]]
Send In The Clowns (From ‘A Little Night Music’)
YouTube
Frank Sinatra - Topic
275 views
1 month ago
https://youtu.be/6EeBXl5ZbXY
https://youtu.be/6EeBXl5ZbXY
&mid=CFAE90AA8555D3AF22F4CFAE90AA8555D3AF22F4
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