SAD AND LONELY CLOWN
(Words & Music; Colin Reece)

From the albums 'Face To Face' by Colin Reece and Ian Cutler,
and Red Wing by Colin Reece

 A song written for Charlie Chaplin. 

Some of the lyrics are deliberately phrased so as to suggest the titles of some of Chaplin's films.
There are seven in all. If you can find them mail me and I'll give you a silent round of applause.

Chorus; Sad and lonely clown

Though you hardly had to talk

Sad and lonely clown

Who needs to when you walk

With your feet at ten-to-two

How the moon shone bright on you

Battered bowler and your broken walking cane

Sad and lonely clown

Will we ever see the like of you again?

Born an East Street kid near Camberwell

You watched and waited in the wings

Your early years of vaudeville

Taught you your trade your loving skill

The way to make a New York man a king

Just a back street boy from Camberwell

No we haven't got a clue

How hard it is to wave a wand

Create a lonely vagabond

The road was not an Easy Street for you.

Chorus:

Shanghaied to California's sunny shore

Making a living for your first

And from a lowly humble start

You won the joy of every heart

Such a pity that the bubble had to burst

Cos finally you spoke aloud

Perhaps you should have kept it down

They disagreed with all your views

McCarthy's party banished you

They loved you best when you were just a clown

Chorus:

For twenty years you lived in Switzerland

In sorrow that you had to leave

The country of your early days

But modern times can change their ways

They asked you back in order to receive

Acclaim from all your fellow stars

They showed their love both good and true

You stood alone among the cheers

You struggled hard to hide the tears

When they gave an Oscar just for being you.

Chorus: