Clown

This song speaks about a self-acceptance of the journey of life. In recognizing the sad nature of things, rather than choosing to give in to defeat there is a choice to make life a lighter meaning.

emeli sande said that this song is about how hard it is to get into the music industry. She said it is about dreaming about something so much and wanting something so badly that you are willing to be a clown and have everyone laugh at you for chasing your dream and say "I told you so" or "oh right so you think your gona be a singer?"

I think this song has more than one meaning. Yes, we as the audience are watching her from behind the glass i.e. the TV and expecting to be entertained but she is also speaking to someone special in her life who is only viewing her from a distance. He is too far away to be able to feel her or be with her. He also knows more about her, about her weaknesses and laughs at her inadequacies but she just doesn't join in on the joke. She is struggling to keep herself together trying to make it now on her own. She has resigned herself to the fact that this is what she will be to him, a clown behind the glass.

I disagree, obviously, about the song having just one meaning. I believe it's a song that was written as a type of guilt trip...to attempt to make the listener feel guilty for whatever s/he has supposedly done (when in actuality it's mere deflection).

The singer may or may not be simply adorable, but guilt trips don't work. And the smallest violin refuses to play today...

"It's about how I felt when I was trying to get signed, I was going for all these meetings and people were looking at me like 'What do we do with you'? It's about not allowing yourself to be judged by others or to be taken for an idiot. I feel the video reflects that" Emeli Sande 2012.

I think the songs describes relationship, where she is so disappointed and he is making her to look and act like a clown before everyone, he is lying to her and that is what makes her pissed of , and she knows that in his eyes she looks funny but the love for that man makes her look like that.

Umm...I guess she's saying that she doesn't want to sing anymore and the industry people are only giving her one option; sing or go out of business. "i'd be less angry if it was my decision" Also, I think she's struggling somewhat. "Clear the way for my crash landing" and "As soon as I win" Finally, she's saying that when she sings, she is a clown, messing up and she would laugh if she were watching. The fact that it is "behind the glass" is saying that just, sort of, doing it-singing-and has no connection with the people in the audience. And she has to put on a clown's mask and put away all of the emotions she's feeling and just sing.

Emeli might have had her own reasons for choosing these Lyrics but I can identify to this song completely. I'm going through a tough divorce at the moment. My ex has manipulated all documents and I've been forced to sign a settlement that is nothing but a joke. The law seems to be on my ex's side and my solicitor is advising me to sign before things get worse for me. My ex, his family, advisers and colleagues are laughing at the situation whilst I feel cheated and vulnerable. As a clown, I am selling out tonight.

Emeli said that she based this one on Jeremy Kyle, and how people would put themselves out there on tv, knowing that people would laugh at them, but they would still do it because they were that desperate.

If you picture this being sung from the perspective of a guest on Jeremy Kyle then it makes a whole lot more sense.