Smile Like You Mean It


"Smile Like You Mean It" is a song by American rock band the Killers, written by lead vocalist Brandon Flowers and bassist Mark Stoermer. Originally included as a B-side on the "Mr. Brightside" single, it also appears on their debut studio album, Hot Fuss. It was the third single from the album released in the United States and the fourth in the United Kingdom, reaching number 15 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. It also received substantial radio airplay in Australia, where it was ranked number 39 on Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2004.

Background

The Killers state that the song was written in just eight minutes. According to Brandon Flowers, the lyric "Looking back at sunsets on the East side" refers to the East side of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Critical reception

Billboard said the song "seems to deal with coming to terms with growing up and getting older." Chuck Arnold with People magazine called the song "a sardonic moper worthy of the Smiths." Billboard said the single is "more restrained and downtempo compared with the band's previous hits" but otherwise "pretty upbeat and is awash with soaring new wave synthesizers and 'killer' guitars." In the UK, the song was voted at 91 on Absolute Radio's 100 Best Songs of the Decade. Paste and American Songwriter both ranked the song number seven on their lists of the greatest Killers songs.

Music video

The music video for the song shows ghostly figures of the band wandering around a house that the characters of the song presumably used to live in. While Flowers sings to the camera, flashbacks of the old house are shown behind him, including a children's party, a Christmas morning, a high school party, and a funeral. While these extras are oblivious to being watched, at the end they turn to the camera to look at the viewer while the band fades away.

Track listing

UK 7-inch red vinyl single
UK CD single
  1. "Smile Like You Mean It"
  2. "Get Trashed"
UK 12-inch single
  1. "Smile Like You Mean It"
  2. "Mr Brightside"
UK digital single
  1. "Smile Like You Mean It" – 6:26
  2. "Smile Like You Mean It" – 7:34
  3. "Get Trashed" – 3:39
Australian CD single
  1. "Smile Like You Mean It"
  2. "Change Your Mind"
  3. "Mr Brightside"

Personnel

Personnel are adapted from the liner notes of Hot Fuss.
The Killers

Covers and remixes

David Gray performed an acoustic version of "Smile Like You Mean It" on BBC's Radio 1 in the Live Lounge. "Smile Like You Mean It" was remixed by French music producer Madeon. Tally Hall also covered the song for The O.C.