Smiley Faces

Infobox Single
Name = Smiley Faces


Caption =
Artist = Gnarls Barkley
from Album = St. Elsewhere
B-side = "Go-Go Gadget Gospel"
Released = 17 July 2006
Format = CD, Enhanced CD, digital download, 12"
Recorded =
Genre = Alternative, soul
Length = 3:05
Label = Warner Music
Writer = Brian Burton
Thomas Callaway
Producer = Danger Mouse
Certification =
Last single = "Crazy"
(2006)
This single = "Smiley Faces"
(2006)
Next single = "Who Cares? / Gone Daddy Gone"
(2006)
Misc = Extra album cover
Background = khaki
Upper caption = Alternate covers

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Lower caption = UK CD single 2 cover

"Smiley Faces" is a song by Gnarls Barkley and is featured on their debut album, "St. Elsewhere". It was released 17 July 2006 as the second single from that album in the United Kingdom (see 2006 in British music). As of recently, the single's music video is being tested on MTV, indicating that it was re-released in the US as the third and final single from the album.

Music videos

The mockumentary-style music video for "Smiley Faces", directed by Robert Hales shows a music historian (played by Dennis Hopper) and an A&R executive (played by Dean Stockwell) being interviewed about whether or not Gnarls Barkley (the person) exists and pondering over whether Barkley is behind the music scene. The video shows musical acts and cultural events from the 1920's to the 1990's, with Cee-Lo and producer Danger Mouse in the background. The effect is similar to that of Woody Allen editing himself into archival film footage in "Zelig". (Danger Mouse has spoken of Woody Allen's films, and Allen's auteur approach as having an influence on his music.)

In September 2007, the video won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Editing.

There was another music video made, featuring an instant messaging smiley with a gangster smileys' wife (who takes her top off for him), going to a sex dungeon, killing the gangster with a chainsaw, getting arrested and sent to prison, getting broken out of prison by the gangsters' wife, being at a Gnarls Barkley concert (who were also both in smiley form), drinking a lot and being sick, going home with the gangsters wife and then her getting three of her topless friends, with the main smiley being very happy. This video was originally put on music channels (in the UK) before the mockumentary video (above), but due to sexual scenes (although as they were smileys it wasn't really nudity) and violent scenes. This video for it can still be found on YouTube, however.

Still another video version, popular on YouTube features Mark Monero.

Trivia

The song was used in Season 4 of Strictly Come Dancing. Louisa Lytton and her professional partner Vincent Simone danced the Jive to the song and scored the first 10 of the series.

Track listings

UK download/CD single 1 (WEA410CD1)
# "Smiley Faces"
# "Smiley Faces" (Live on "Later with Jools Holland")

UK CD single 2 (WEA410CD2)
# "Smiley Faces"
# "Go-Go Gadget Gospel"
# "Crazy" music video (enhanced section)

UK 12" vinyl single (WEA410T)
# "Smiley Faces"
# "Go-Go Gadget Gospel"
# "Smiley Faces" (Instrumental)

UK download
# "Smiley Faces" (Instrumental) – 3:10

Charts

The song entered the UK Official Download Chart on 3 May 2006 at number 152. It reached its peak at number 12 on 9 August 2006. [" [http://uk.launch.yahoo.com/c/uk/download_charts.html The Official UK Top 200 Downloads] ", "Yahoo!". URL last accessed on 2006-07-03.] [" [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/downloads.shtml The Official UK Download Chart] " "BBC". URL last accessed on 2006-08-18] It then entered the UK Singles Chart on July 16 2006 at number 23 based on download sales alone, climbing to number 10 after the physical release was available. [" [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/singles.shtml The Official UK Singles Chart] " "BBC". URL last accessed on 2006-07-30]

References

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7Y-T__h4Oc "Smiley Faces" music video]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZJ8hMA3eU4 "Smilly Faces" music video with Mark Monero]