Smile (Vitamin C song)

"Smile" is the debut single by Vitamin C released in 1999. It features vocals from reggae singer Lady Saw. "Smile" was the first single released from her eponymous debut solo album. Using television exposure as a major form of promotion, it became a top-forty hit in Canada, Iceland, New Zealand, and the United States.

"Smile"
Single by Vitamin C featuring Lady Saw
from the album Vitamin C and Stuart Little 2
Released
  • June 8, 1999 (1999-06-08) (12-inch single)[1]
  • June 29, 1999 (1999-06-29) (other formats)[1]
Recorded1999
Length3:58
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Josh Deutsch
  • Colleen Fitzpatrick
Producer(s)
  • Josh Deutsch
  • Garry Hughes
Vitamin C singles chronology
"Smile"
(1999)		 "Me, Myself and I"
(1999)
Audio
"Smile" (radio edit) on YouTube

Background

According to Vitamin C, she had trouble coming up with the lyrics. On the day she wrote them, she was feeling sad about the breakup of her former band, Eve's Plum, and decided that she needed to write a happy song to move past her depression.[1]

Commercial performance

"Smile" became Vitamin C's highest-charting single in the United States to date, peaking at number 21 on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40[2] and number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her only single to reach the top 20 and her first single to reach the top 40.[3] Worldwide, "Smile" peaked at number 13 in New Zealand,[4] number 24 in Iceland,[5] and number 29 in Canada.[6] The single went Gold in the US, as certified by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments in excess of 500,000.[7] Billboard attributed the song's success to its intense promotion via television, including featuring in advertisements for The WB series Movie Stars, promos for the NBC series Cold Feet, and the season 9 finale of Beverly Hills, 90210.[1][8]

Music video

The music video takes place in a multi-colored Sam Goody CD store which has several motifs from the album art. Lady Saw plays a DJ in the video, while Vitamin C dances with a few backup dancers to the song ("Smile") that Lady Saw is playing. The video was directed by Christopher Erskin.

Track listings

Smile 2005

A 2005 remix, "Smile 2005", was featured in film Aquamarine (2006).[13]

Charts
Chart (1999) Peak
position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[6] 29
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[14] 74
Germany (Official German Charts)[15] 95
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[5] 24
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 88
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[4] 13
US Billboard Hot 100[3] 18
US Hot Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[17] 24
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[2] 21

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[7] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Bell, Carrie (July 17, 1999). "Elektra's Vitamin C Gives Pop a Twist" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 111 no. 29. p. 12, 16. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  2. "Vitamin C Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  3. "Vitamin C Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  4. "Charts.nz – Vitamin C feat. Lady Saw – Smile". Top 40 Singles.
  5. "Íslenski Listinn (2.8–5.8. 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). August 6, 1999. p. 10. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  6. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8449." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  7. "American single certifications – Vitamin C – Smile". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 24, 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  8. Pietroluongo, Silvio (July 24, 1999). "Hot 100 Singles Spotlight" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 111 no. 30. p. 89. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  9. "Smile" – US 12-inch single (Disc sleeve). Vitamin C. Elektra Records. 1999. E3727T.CS1 maint: others (link)
  10. "Smile" – US cassette single (Cassette sleeve). Vitamin C. Elektra Records. 1999. 64041-4.CS1 maint: others (link)
  11. "Smile" – UK 12-inch single promo (Disc sleeve). Vitamin C. Elektra Records. 1999. SAM 00155.CS1 maint: others (link)
  12. "Smile" – European CD single (CD sleeve). Vitamin C. Elektra Records. 1999. 7559-63717-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  13. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0429591/soundtrack
  14. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8449." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  15. "Offiziellecharts.de – Vitamin C feat. Lady Saw – Smile". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  16. "Dutchcharts.nl – Vitamin C – Smile" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  17. "Vitamin C Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
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