Your Smiling Face

"Your Smiling Face"
Dutch cover
Single by James Taylor
from the album JT
B-side	"If I Keep My Heart Out of Sight"
Released	September 1977
Genre	Pop, soft rock
Length	2:30
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	James Taylor
Producer(s)	Peter Asher
James Taylor singles chronology
"Handy Man" (1977) "Your Smiling Face" (1977) "Honey Don't Leave L.A." (1977)

"Your Smiling Face" is a song by singer James Taylor. First available on the album JT, and released as the album's sophomore single in September 1977, "Your Smiling Face" peaked at number 11 in Cash Box magazine and at 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 near year's end.^[1] It reached number 11 on the RPM Top Singles chart in Canada.^[2] On Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, it reached number 6.^[1][3]

Background

Lines like "Isn't it amazing a man like me can feel this way?" reflect Taylor's surprise at his newfound happiness in his relationship with Carly Simon.^[4] Rolling Stone critic Peter Herbst described it as being "unabashedly happy".^[5] However, according to Taylor biographer Timothy White, the song was written for Taylor's and Simon's then three-year-old daughter Sally.^[6] White described the song as a "pop sonnet".^[6]

Reception

Billboard described the song as a "strong followup" to "Handy Man" and described the melody as being "upbeat" and "infectious."^[7] Taylor described it as a "good, light-hearted pop love song".^[6] Cash Box said that "some whimsical vocal gymnastics that add the crucial personal touch."^[8] Record World said that it is "more energetic" than Taylor's previous single "Handy Man" and that its tempo is "engaging."^[9] Herbst praised Taylor's vocal for being "a pretty convincing rock singer" on the song.^[5]

Live performances

"Your Smiling Face" was a fixture in Taylor's live shows, but he had to abandon it for a while because he went through a period where he had difficulty reaching the falsetto notes.^[6]

Personnel

• James Taylor – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
• Danny Kortchmar – electric guitar
• Leland Sklar – bass
• Clarence McDonald – piano
• Russell Kunkel – drums
• David Campbell – string arrangements, conductor

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1977–78) Peak position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 11 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[11] 4 US Billboard Hot 100[12] 20 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[13] 6 US Cash Box Top 100[14] 12

Year-end charts Chart (1977) Rank Canada RPM Top Singles[15] 140

Popular culture

• The song was used in the 1978 film FM, starring Michael Brandon and Eileen Brennan.^[16]
• It was parodied in the South Park episode "Fat Camp" as "The Prostitute Song."^[17]
• On Sesame Street, Taylor sang a parody of the song to Oscar the Grouch titled "Whenever I See your Grouchy Face".^[18][19]
• The trailer for season one of the Adult Swim show Smiling Friends uses the song.^[20]

References

1. "JT Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
2. "RPM 100 Singles". Library and Archives Canada. December 24, 1977. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
3. "RPM Adult Oriented Playlist". Library and Archives Canada. December 10, 1977. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
4. Ruhlmann, W. "JT". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
5. Herbst, P. (August 11, 1977). "JY". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 29, 2010. Retrieved 2014-05-29.
6. White, T. (2009). Long Ago And Far Away: James Taylor – His Life And Music. Omnibus Press. pp. 248–250. ISBN 9780857120069.
7. "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. October 1, 1977. p. 94. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
8. "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 1, 1977. p. 18. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
9. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. October 1, 1977. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5494a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
11. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 5453." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
12. "James Taylor Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
13. "James Taylor Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
14. CASH BOX Top 100 Singles Week ending DECEMBER 17, 1977.
15. "Top 200 Singles of '77 – Volume 28, No. 11, December 31 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
16. "FM Soundtrack". IMDb. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
17. O'Neal, S. "10 Underrated South Park Songs". nerve.com. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
18. "VH1 Music Studio: Past Programs and Lesson Plans". VH1. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
19. Brenner, J. (November 22, 2013). "Sesame Street Turns 44: Our Favorite Celebrity Moments!". Parade. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
20. Smiling Friends | OFFICIAL TRAILER | adult swim, retrieved 2021-12-18