Smile (Charlie Chaplin song)

"Smile"
Song by Nat King Cole
Published	1936 (theme), 1954 (song)
Language	English
Writer	John Turner Geoffrey Parsons
Composer	Charlie Chaplin

"Smile" is a song based on an instrumental theme used in the soundtrack for the 1936 Charlie Chaplin movie Modern Times. Chaplin composed the music, while John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons added the lyrics and title in 1954. In the lyrics, the singer is telling the listener to cheer up and that there is always a bright tomorrow, just as long as they smile. "Smile" has become a popular standard since its original use in Chaplin's film.

Original version

The song, originally sung by Nat King Cole, charted in 1954. Singer Sunny Gale also covered the song, sharing sales with Cole, as shown in the music trade Cashbox. It was also covered by Cole's daughter, Natalie, on her 1991 album, Unforgettable... with Love.

In Britain, rival versions were released by Lita Roza and Petula Clark in 1954. Clark later re-recorded it for her 1968 album The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener, by which time she was a personal friend of Charlie Chaplin. Jazz guitarist Royce Campbell recorded it on his album, "Get Happy (2007).

Michael Jackson version

"Smile"
Single by Michael Jackson
from the album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I
Released	January 20, 1998
Format	CD single, 12" single
Recorded	1995
Genre	Soul
Length	4:55 (album version) 4:10 (short version)
Label	Epic
Writer(s)	Charlie Chaplin (music) John Turner, Geoffrey Parsons (lyrics)
Producer	David Foster Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson singles chronology
"On the Line" (1997) "Smile" (1998) "You Rock My World" (2001)
HIStory Continues track listing "Little Susie" (14) "Smile" (15)

Singer Michael Jackson recorded the song for his 1995 double album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. It was planned to be released as the eighth and final single from the album in 1998 but was canceled days before its release date. Only a few copies from the Netherlands, Germany and South Africa (where the record distribution was started previous to the withdrawal) were saved as the other copies were withdrawn. The rarest pressings include the CD maxi single (estimated value over €500) and the single track promo (the promo single CD was going for AU$1,725 in February 2011).

The remixes on this release have never been released commercially since, but some can also be found on the "Is It Scary" promotional 12" records from the UK. The "Downtempo Groove Mix" is the rarest mix of this song because it was only released on the maxi. The remix was uncredited, but was actually done by Eddie Arroyo.

Jackson had never performed this song live; an HBO special was once planned with the song being performed, but Jackson collapsed during the concert's rehearsals. During the final concerts of his HIStory World Tour, the song was played at the beginning of each concert in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales. In Living with Michael Jackson, he mentioned the song while at Neverland Ranch and sang it while he was in Las Vegas.

Around November 2005, a number of bootlegged 12" records appeared on eBay and some record fairs in Germany and The Netherlands. This explains why the 12" presses are the most common, although the original is still considered the most rare. The short version of "Smile" was later re-issued on the deluxe United Kingdom edition of King of Pop in 2008.

Michael Jackson's brother, Jermaine Jackson, sang "Smile" at his memorial service on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, shortly after Michael Jackson's friend Brooke Shields mentioned it had been Jackson's favorite song. He also sang it in an interview with Today at Neverland before the memorial and only days after Michael had passed. During the internationally televised public memorial, Jermaine switched the words "gladness" and "sadness" in the lyrics, possibly in an unintentional flub of the lyrics.

The song has since charted at #74 in the UK, #71 in Germany, #70 in Switzerland and at #56 in Australia.

Track listing

CD maxi single

1. "Smile" (short version) – 4:10
2. "Is It Scary" (radio edit) – 4:11
3. "Is It Scary" (Eddie's Love Mix Edit) – 3:50
4. "Is It Scary" (Downtempo Groove Mix) – 4:50
5. "Is It Scary" (Deep Dish Dark and Scary Radio Edit) – 4:34

12" maxi single

• A1. "Smile" – 4:55
• A2. "Is It Scary" (Deep Dish Dark and Scary Remix) – 12:07
• B1. "Is It Scary" (Eddie's Rub-a-Dub Mix) – 5:00
• B2. "Is It Scary" (Eddie's Love Mix) – 8:00
• B3. "Off the Wall" (Junior Vasquez Remix) – 4:57

Promotional single

1. "Smile" (short version) – 4:10

Promotional CD single

1. "Smile" (short version) – 4:10
2. "Is It Scary" (radio edit) – 4:11

Charts

Chart (2009)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs	56

Chart (2009)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	74
Swiss Singles Chart	70

External links

• Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics