But what did you do
What did you say
Oh did you walk or did you run away
Where are you know
Where have you been
Did you go alone or did you find a friend

I need to know this
'Coz I noticed I'm just smiling
How can the sun
Have any fun
Feeling free

And I can tell you know how hard this life can be
But you keep on smiling for me

So what went right
What went wrong
Was it a story or was it a song
Was it over night
Or did it take you long
Was knowing your weakness what made you strong

For all the above
Oh how I love to see you smiling
An oh yeah
Take a little pain just in case

You need something want to embrace
To help you put on a smiley face
Face
Smiley face

Don't you go off into the new day without getting down
Here's a summary of something you get sad about
Say for instance my girlfriend she, bugs me all the time
But the irony of it all is that she loves me all the time
Oh see

I believe
Whenever I see you smiling
'Coz excuse me
But it's easily one of the hardest things to do
Your worries and fears become your friends
And they end up smiling at you
Put on a smiley face



Lyrics submitted by Nyra

Track duration: 03:05

"Smiley Faces" as written by Thomas Callaway, Brian Joseph Burton

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CHRYSALIS MUSIC GROUP

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Smiley Faces song meanings
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27 Comments

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  • 0
    Lyric Correction:*Where are you now?

    *Or all the above?
    Flag LadyPreshPreshon June 06, 2012   Link
  • -1
    Lyric Correction:A few corrections:

    Did you go alone or did you bring a friend

    also

    I need to know this
    Cause I noticed you're smiling
    Out in the sun
    Having fun and
    Feeling free

    and

    Or all the above

    also

    Don't you go off into the new day with any doubt
    Here's a summary of something that you could smile about

    finally

    I wanna be you whenever I see you smiling
    Cause it's easily one of the hardest things to do
    Flag SoliGon October 01, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's true that many of their songs suggest "mental disturbance". My personal belief, being that Cee-lo Green is an intelligent person - clearly not your average shallow artist - is that he is well aware of the neurotic nature of the human condition, and enjoys pointing it out. Doubt, fear, the unknown are things that appear in this song, yet what he stresses the most is that regardless of situation and external circumstances, smiling is the most important approach.

    Many of his songs are satires, some of them subtle, some pretty straight forward. Take "F*** You", or the slow version of "Crazy"...What I love about his songs is that he reaches out to his audience and conveys a message - generally something critical, to give you something to think about, (Crazy, Run) but encompassed within a cheerful and playful attitude. "We're all human beings, with our intrinsic complexities, insecurities, worries, problems and neurotic idiosyncrasies; there's no point denying it, so we might as well accept it and carry on, smiling, if possible" is the idea that many of his songs suggest to me.

    My favourite, as it constitutes a beautiful message of hope, is "Going On" - a hymn to freedom, advancement and liberation from mental and social constraints. :-)
    Flag kuckunniwion January 31, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:to me, this song sounds like something a person would say to a friend when u see her happy after not seeing happy for a long time u know? the song starts w/ his initial encounter after a while of not seeing each other. hes trying to see what has come to make her soooo happy. btw i always thought he said "i need to know this, 'cause i've noticed that you're smiling" makes more sense that way dont it? next verse is him still asking thenjus giving up b/c he doesnt give a fuck anymore. shes fucking smiling u kno? i also thought he said "i wanna leap whenever i see you smiling......" again, makes more sense that way dont it?
    Flag BienPeempininNICEon April 03, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I love this song! I think it is about trying to make the best out of life. Even when it can be hard. We all have good days and bad days and why in the hell not try to smile? It might actually MAKE you feel happy when you feel blue. I don't think it is being fake to smile if you truly feel like smiling. Sob when you need to sob. Frown when you are pissed off. And smile when you have a fucked up thought in your head or when you simply feel euphoric!
    Flag LookIntoTheLighton November 12, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think the line- 'I didn't know this but I noticed you're smiling.' is actually: 'I need to know this 'coz I noticed that you're smiling'. As if he wants to know why people are happy and why he can't be happy as well.
    Flag JimJamJaharon August 10, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:what lyrics!! 10 out of 10!

    to me this song is about the singer seeing someone they know smiling and getting on with their life positively, despite knowing they have had their own problems or demons.

    the singer respects that alot and wonders whats going on in the head of this person. how did they get to their positive frame of mind.

    yet this meaning seems to be very probing and deep, maybe even sad or melancholy, yet hidden behind a bouncy poppy upbeat sound.

    love it
    Flag future foeon July 19, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:"Here's a summary of something that you could smile about. Say for instance, my girlfriend she bugs me all the time. But the irony of it all is that she loves me all the time."

    it doesn't get any better than that. like DCV said, there is some hint of darkness within the song but you almost feel as if the smiling faces overcome it all. i love cee-lo and dangermouse. they are one of few credible ARTISTS connected to the hip-hop genre, etc.

    great song.
    Flag bellalunabrownon October 15, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:even though everything above sounds right to me, that it probably is an uplifting song about positivity. i still cant shake this feeling of evil i get from the song. For me this is a good thing though. i'ma dark kind of person, and this song strikes a black chord in my soul. i love it!
    Flag DeCeeVeeeon July 10, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think it's about knowing someone who's been through some difficult times ("And I can tell you know how hard this life can be"), but they still know how to be happy and they don't let it consume them. They grow stronger because of these tough times ("Was knowing your weakness what made you strong?") It really inspires the... narrator/songwriter.

    I LOVE the last bit:
    I wanna be you, whenever I see you smiling.
    Cos it's easily one of the hardest things to do.
    Your worries and fears become your friends and they end up smiling at you.
    Put on a smiling face.

    The "worries and fears" lines is so right, that they can work to your advantage and help you out if you have the right mindset.

    I have recently discovered how incredible Gnarls Barkley is. Their songs are so deep, and so original. They express a new but completely true and universal sentiment.
    Flag obliviouskcon June 20, 2008   Link

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