The song “Clown,” co-produced by Mariah with Dre and Vidal, was included on the Charmbracelet album, released in 2002. “I don't think anybody who they're trying to say the song is about would want to claim that song for themselves,” Mariah said about the song's inspiration. “In reality I have met soo many clowns, how could you select one? In the song there is this person or group of people, as there are many who have tried to make their claims. The thing is, there was nothing, but they're making something out of it because of their own need to put this facade out there to the world 'cause, as the song says: ‘Your pain is so deep-rooted/What will your life become?/Sure you hide it/But you're lost and lonesome/Still just a frail shook one/Who's gonna love you?’ That's the thing when you put up this big front, it's like The Wizard of Oz, when you open up the curtains, there stands this little pipsqueak.”
I should've left it at, how ya doin
I should've left it at, I like your music too, and
I should've never called you back when you pursued me
I should've never given you my fuckin two way
I should've never listened to your woeful stories
The ones I'm sure you told a thousand times before me
You should've never intimated we were lovers
When you know very well
We never even touched each other
Who's gonna love you when it all falls down, and
Who's gonna love you when your bankroll runs out
Who's gonna care when the novelty's over
When the star of the show isn't you anymore
Nobody cares when the tears of a clown
Fall down —
Nobody cares when the tears of a clown
Fall down
I gotta break it to ya delicately, dunny
Takin' my G5 twenty minutes wasn't nothin'
But I guess you wouldn't know
That's the way I roll
Consequently now your ego's fully overblown
You don't want the world to know
That you're just a puppet show
And the little boy inside
Often sits at home alone
And cries, cries, cries, cries (boo hoo… who?)
Who's gonna love you when it all falls down, and
Who's gonna love you when your bankroll runs out
(when your bankroll runs out)
Who's gonna care when the novelty's over
When the star of the show isn't you anymore
Nobody… (nobody…)
Nobody
Your pain is so deep rooted
What will your life become
Sure you hide it
But you're lost and lonesome
Still just a frail shook one
Who's gonna love you when it all falls down, and
(tell me who's gonna love you? Who? I'd like to know)
Who's gonna love you when your bankroll runs out
(if you didn't have nothing)
Who's gonna care when the novelty's over
(who — who'd still be there)
When the star of the show isn't you anymore
(nobody, nobody, nobody, oh)
Nobody cares when the tears of a clown (there ain't nobody baby)
Fall down — (bullies in the schoolyard)
(when they fall they fall hard)
Nobody cares when the tears of a clown
Fall down (yeah… so you better think twice better play nice)
(cause who's gonna be there)
Who's gonna love you when it all falls down, and
(when the joke's on you)
Who's gonna love you when your bankroll runs out
(a marionette show)
Who's gonna care when the novelty's over
(who's makin' you move though)
When the star of the show isn't you anymore
(I know what kills you slow)
Nobody cares when the tears of a clown
(I'm gonna keep your little secret though, mmmm hmmmm)
Fall down
(and you know that I know)
Nobody cares when the tears of a clown
(you're no superhero)
Fall down —
(I guess your mamma never
Told you that what
Goes around comes back around… Pow)
Written by Mariah Carey, Andre Harris, Vidal Davis, Mary Ann Tatum.
Produced by Dre and Vidal and Mariah Carey.
