Send In The Clowns by Judy Collins

Album: Judith (1975)

Charted: 6 19

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Songfacts®:

This song was originally from Stephen Sondheim's 1973 musical A Little Night Music. He wrote it in one night three nights before the opening night as the leading lady, Glynis Johns, didn't have her own song. In the musical, Johns' character is looking back on her life with great disappointment when she performs this song.
Apart from Judy Collins, this has been covered by many artists, including Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand, for whom Sondheim added a verse about falling for the right person at the wrong time:

What a surprise
Who could foresee?
I've come to feel about you what you felt about me
Why only now when I see that you've drifted away
What a surprise, what a cliché
As Glynis Johns had a breathy voice and a limited range, Sondheim wrote the song with short phrases and a small music range of only an octave. She won a 1973 Tony award for her role in the musical.
The title refers to a phrase reputedly used in a circus when an unforeseen disaster had occurred, with the clowns being sent in to distract the audience from the problem. It's a metaphor for a tragic fall from grace.
Speaking to Uncut magazine, Judy Collins recalled how she took some time off to write a few songs for her Judith album. She was happy with them but wasn't sure what to do for the rest of the album. Her friend Nancy recommended she get the A Little Night Music soundtrack and play "Send In The Clowns." Collins hadn't seen the musical, but recognized it was a special song, so she called A Little Night Music director Hal Prince. When he told her that about 200 people had already covered it, Collins responded, "I don't care about that, I've recorded songs that are a 100 years old! It's the song that matters to me." And of course it became a huge hit for her.
Sondheim won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1976, based on the popularity of Collins' performance of "Send In The Clowns."
Streisand spent much of her early career singing pop standards and Broadway tunes, but she didn't record "Send In The Clowns" until The Broadway Album in 1985. The reason was simple: She didn't understand it.

''I am a singing actress who likes to create little dramas,'' she told The New York Times that year. ''And as an actress I didn't understand the last line, 'Well, maybe next year,' so I asked Steve how he would feel if I ended it with the line, 'Don't bother, they're here.' I didn't know how he would react, but he was so cute. He said a lot of people had asked him what the song meant - now they would understand it."

Comments: 8

Dave Robb from Santa Rosa CaliforniaAs much as I love Judy Collins, and everything she sings, my fave version of this gorgeous song is by Glenn Close. Just sayin'.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 25th 1973, the original production of the Steven Sondheim musical 'A Little Night Music' premiered at the Shubert Theater in New York City, the play ran for 601 performances...
In Act II of the play Glynis Johns' character Desiree performed what would become the play's most memorable song, "Send In The Clowns"...
Later in 1973 Frank Sinatra would be the first artist to cover the song, he recorded it for his 'Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back' album...
Judy Collins' covered version charted twice on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; in 1975 it reached #36, and two years later in 1977 it would peak at #19.
Larry from AustraliaSondheim preferred the Glynis Johns version above all others. While I don't agree, that is a powerful message.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn October 18th 1977, Judy Collins performed "Send in the Clowns' on the syndicated TV program 'The Muppet Show'...
At the time the song was at #36 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; five weeks later on November 20th, 1977 it peaked at #19 {for 2 weeks} and spent 16 weeks* on the Top 100...
Two years earlier on June 15th, 1965 she first entered the Top 100 with the song; it eventually reached #36 and stayed on the chart for 11 weeks*...
* So all tolled the song remained on the Top 100 for over a half-year {27 weeks}.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 4th, 1976 Judy Collins performed "Send in the Clowns" on ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
Ms. Collins will celebrate her 75th birthday this coming May 1st, 2014...
Thyrocyte from Bangkok, ThailandTo me, this song is quite sorrowful. I have heard that some regard this song as an anthem to regret for unwise decisions in the past. Also, it may refer to a recognition that there is no need to send in the clowns because they are already there. As above mentioned, this is a metaphor for a mistake that has already occurred and there is no use to try to correct with any means.Too late for the clowns to be sent in.

By the way, I do like many parts of this song eg. "One who keeps tearing around,One who can't move" , "What a surprise,what a clich" and so on.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyJudy Collins released this song in 1975 and it peaked at #36; then two years later it was re-released and this time it reached #19... {In 1969 she charted with "Someday Soon", it only peaked at #55, it was such a good song I was surpized it didn't do better}
Sara from Silver Spring, MdShouldn't Glynis Johns be mentioned since she originated the song (she is best remembered today as Mrs. Banks in Mary Poppins) The show was based on Smiles of a Summer Night an Igmar Bergman film about two Swedish couples who go on a weekend on a country and there is a lot of... well Clive Barnes of the New York Times said "God God, an adult musical!". Most of the songs including this one were written in three quarter waltz time.
There was a movie versison starring Liz Taylor directed by Harold Prince but it was rather awful because it switched locations from Sweden to Vienna. Glenn Close was to star in a Broadway revival but it never happened!