Send in the clowns. Cover by John Jones.wmv

"Send in the Clowns" is a song by Stephen Sondheim from the 1973 musical A Little Night Music, an adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's film Smiles of a Summer Night. It is a ballad from Act II in which the character Desirée reflects on the ironies and disappointments of her life. Among other things, she looks back on an affair years earlier with the lawyer Fredrik. Meeting him after so long, she finds that he is now in an unconsummated marriage with a much younger woman. Desirée proposes marriage to rescue him from this situation, but he declines, citing his dedication to his bride. Reacting to his rejection, Desirée sings this song. The song is later reprised as a coda after Fredrik's young wife runs away with his son, and Fredrik is finally free to accept Desirée's offer.

Sondheim wrote the song specifically for the actress Glynis Johns, who created the role of Desirée on Broadway. The song is structured with four verses and a bridge, and uses a complex triple meter. It became Sondheim's most popular song after Judy Collins and Frank Sinatra recorded it in 1975. Subsequently, Grace Jones, Barbra Streisand, Shirley Bassey, Zarah Leander, Tiger Lillies and many other famous artists have recorded the song, and it became a jazz standard.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• clowns
• ballads
• John
• Jones
• frank
• Sinatra
• jazz
• music

[wirelessscottie]

Superb!

[SanAntonioCrooner]

I love this song. And you did a marvelous job with it, John! Such a wonderful voice! Thank you for sharing this with me! -- Ken Slavin

[Sissiaraujo]

Wonderful moment, John! your beautiful voice to fill my heart with sweets feelings, congratulations for special video edition!

[MahayaX]

Excellent video

Thank you for sending me

kisses

Fernanda