Send In the Clowns

Send In the Clowns is a composition by Stephen Sondheim created for the 1973 musical A Little Night Music, which draws inspiration from Ingmar Bergman's 1955 film Smiles of a Summer Night. This ballad, appearing in the second act, presents Desirée as she contemplates life's paradoxes and her own disappointments, particularly reflecting on her previous romantic involvement with the lawyer Fredrik. Although she had once declined his proposals of marriage, she now harbors love for him and offers to marry him to release him from his unfulfilled marriage to a younger spouse. Fredrik’s refusal triggers Desirée’s heartfelt lament. The song is later revisited after Fredrik’s wife departs, enabling him to accept Desirée’s proposition.

Sondheim tailored the piece specifically for Glynis Johns, the original Desirée on Broadway. The composition consists of four verses and a bridge, set in a sophisticated compound time signature. It emerged as Sondheim’s most renowned song following interpretations by Frank Sinatra in 1973 and chart successes by Judy Collins in 1975 and 1977. Since then, it has been covered by numerous artists, securing its status as a standard.

Meaning of title

The term "clowns" in the title does not denote circus clowns. In a 1990 interview, Sondheim clarified:

In 2008, he further elaborated:

Context

Judi Dench, who portrayed Desirée in the London production, characterized the narrative as "a somber tale about individuals initially paired with unsuitable partners, striving ultimately to find the right ones." Desirée mistimes her affections and discovers upon reuniting with Fredrik—her former lover and father of her child, though unaware of this—that he is indeed her true love.

Prior to the play's events, Desirée was an impassioned actress leading a dramatic life, moving between relationships. Fredrik, among her many suitors, fell deeply in love with her, but she declined his marriage proposals. The storyline implies that Desirée might have been pregnant when they separated.

Just before the narrative begins, Fredrik weds a significantly younger woman. In Act One, he encounters Desirée again and meets her insightful daughter, Fredrika. He explains that his young wife remains a virgin within their marriage, and subsequently he and Desirée share an intimate encounter.

Act Two commences days later with Desirée revealing her love and offering marriage to Fredrik. He confesses his profound affection for his young spouse and apologizes for having misled Desirée. Feeling rejected and emotionally exposed, Desirée performs "Send in the Clowns," using the song to veil her emotional turmoil. This scene exemplifies Sondheim's ability to fuse music and drama—where the melody uncovers genuine feelings beneath a composed exterior. The six-minute piece features deliberate silences and raw vulnerability, emphasizing the tension between performer and audience.

Shortly thereafter, Fredrik’s young wife departs with their son, allowing him to accept Desirée's offer. The song returns as a concluding reprise.

History

During rehearsals for the Broadway premiere of the play, Sondheim composed both lyrics and melody over two days specifically for actress Glynis Johns, who originated the role of Desirée. He observed that Johns possessed a "lovely, crystal voice" but lacked stamina for sustained notes; therefore, he crafted brief phrases and a melody confined within a limited vocal range to accommodate her abilities.

He explained:

We chose Glynis Johns primarily for her elegance, charm, and comedic talent rather than vocal strength, so I reduced her vocal demands and wrote minimally for her in the second act.

Originally, the pivotal scene between Desirée and her former lover included only a song for him; however, director Hal Prince recommended adding one for her during that moment. Prince directed it so that her reactions conveyed emotional depth despite minimal singing.

I composed the song rapidly to suit her voice—featuring short phrases framed as questions—and completed it mostly within one night across two days.

Lyrics

The composition features four verses and a bridge, all performed by Desirée. According to Sondheim, the lyrics convey profound feelings of sorrow and frustration:

Meter and key

Originally, the piece was presented in D major. It employs an uncommon time signature that shifts between 9/8 and 12/8, utilizing compound meters that evoke a waltz-like rhythm throughout the score. Sondheim attributed this rhythmic variation to his collaboration with Leonard Bernstein on West Side Story, where he learned to adjust bar lengths to enhance both rhythmic interest and emotional expression. This technique results in alternating measures of nine and twelve beats, reflecting the intensity of the lyrics.

Styles

"Send in the Clowns" is interpreted through two main approaches: one dramatic, capturing Desirée’s feelings of remorse and anger within the theatrical context, and another lyrical, which highlights its melodic and poetic qualities during concert performances. Sondheim advises performers to portray Desirée’s intricate emotions—her self-reproach evident in phrases like "Quick, send in the clowns," alongside her sorrowful resignation found in "Well, maybe next year." He acknowledges certain compositional quirks such as awkward melodic stresses that singers must skillfully navigate to communicate the song’s intent effectively. Moreover, Sondheim points out that differences between American and British English pronunciation can pose challenges for performers, potentially influencing how audiences perceive the lyrics.

Popular success

Premiering on Broadway in 1973, both the musical and this song initially resonated with theatergoers before crossing over into mainstream popularity. The first recording was by Bobby Short; however, broader acclaim followed when Judy Collins recorded it in England. Frank Sinatra also featured it on his 1973 gold-certified album Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back, with arrangements by Gordon Jenkins. Sinatra’s rendition later appeared in the 2019 movie Joker.

Judy Collins’ 1975 release reached Number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and re-entered the charts in 1977, climbing to Number 19. Her version earned Song of the Year at the 1976 Grammy Awards. Subsequent notable recordings came from artists such as Bing Crosby, Kenny Rogers, and Lou Rawls.

Grace Jones offered a disco-infused interpretation lasting seven and a half minutes as the lead track on her debut album Portfolio in 1977. Olivia Newton-John included her version on the 2004 album Indigo: Women of Song. In 1985, Sondheim composed an additional verse for Barbra Streisand’s rendition on The Broadway Album, which peaked at Number 25 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary chart in 1986.

Having evolved into a jazz standard, "Send in the Clowns" has been covered by over 900 artists including Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan, and the Stan Kenton Orchestra. The American ambient duo Stars of the Lid incorporated its melody into their 2007 piece "Don't Bother They're Here," referencing a lyric from the original song.

Weekly charts

Judy Collins

Chart (1975)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	13
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary	38
Canada RPM Top Singles	52
Template:Single chart
New Zealand (Listener)	23
UK Singles Chart	6
US Billboard Hot 100	36
US Billboard Adult Contemporary	8
US Cash Box Top 100	53

Year-end rankings

Chart (1975)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	86
United Kingdom	85

Chart (1977–78)	Highest position
Canada RPM Top Singles	15
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary	1
United States Billboard Hot 100	19
United States Billboard Adult Contemporary	15
United States Cash Box Top 100	17

Chart (1977)	Position
Canada RPM Top Singles	132

Lani Hall

Chart (1984)	Highest position
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary	19
United States Billboard Adult Contemporary	18

Barbra Streisand

Chart (1986)	Highest position
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary	2
United States Billboard Adult Contemporary	25

External links

• Sondheim Guide to the Play
• Sondheim Review
• Notes to the Play
• Send in the Clowns Lyrics