Smile Like You Mean It

2005 single by The Killers

For the Gotham episode, see Smile Like You Mean It (Gotham).

"Smile Like You Mean It"

Single by the Killers
from the album  Hot Fuss
B-side|

* "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town"
* "Get Trashed"
* "Change Your Mind"

Released| March 14, 2005 (2005-03-14)
Studio| Cornerstone (Berkeley, California)
Genre|

* New wave[1]
* synth-rock[2]

Length| 3:54
Label|

* Island
* Lizard King

Songwriter(s)|

* Brandon Flowers
* Mark Stoermer

Producer(s)| The Killers
The Killers singles chronology
| "All These Things That I've Done"
(2004)  | "Smile Like You Mean It"
(2005)  | "When You Were Young"
(2006)

|
|

"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 is included on their debut studio album, Hot Fuss (2004). 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.[3]

## Background

[edit]

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.[4]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Billboard said the song "seems to deal with coming to terms with growing up and getting older."[5] Chuck Arnold with People magazine called the song "a sardonic moper worthy of the Smiths."[6] 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."[5] In the UK, the song was voted at 91 on Absolute Radio's 100 Best Songs of the Decade.[7] Paste and American Songwriter both ranked the song number seven on their lists of the greatest Killers songs.[8][9]

## Music video

[edit]

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

[edit]

UK 7-inch red vinyl single[10]

A. "Smile Like You Mean It"
B. "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" (Zane Lowe Radio 1 session)

UK CD single[11]

1. "Smile Like You Mean It"
2. "Get Trashed"

UK 12-inch single[12]

1. "Smile Like You Mean It" (Ruff & Jam Eastside mix)
2. "Mr Brightside" (Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke dub mix)

UK digital single[13]

1. "Smile Like You Mean It" (Fischerspooner remix) – 6:26
2. "Smile Like You Mean It" (Ruff & Jam Eastside mix) – 7:34
3. "Get Trashed" – 3:39

Australian CD single[14]

1. "Smile Like You Mean It"
2. "Change Your Mind"
3. "Mr Brightside" (The Lindbergh Palace radio remix)

|

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

| Chart (2005)  | Peak
position

|

Australia (ARIA)[15] | 47
Ireland (IRMA)[16] | 20
Scotland (OCC)[17] | 9
UK Singles (OCC)[18] | 11
UK Indie (OCC)[19] | 1
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[20] | 15

### Year-end charts

[edit]

| Chart (2005)  | Position

|

US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[21] | 55

## Certifications

[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Australia (ARIA)[22] | Platinum  | 70,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[23] | Gold  | 40,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[24] | Platinum  | 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[25] | Platinum  | 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## Release history

[edit]

Region  | Date  | Format(s)  | Label(s)  | Ref(s).

|
|
|
|

United States  | March 14, 2005  | Alternative radio | Island | [26]
Australia  | April 25, 2005  | CD  | Lizard King | [27]
United Kingdom  | May 2, 2005  |

* 7-inch vinyl
* 12-inch vinyl
* CD
* digital download

| [28][29]
May 9, 2005  | CD  | [30]

## Covers and remixes

[edit]

David Gray performed an acoustic version of "Smile Like You Mean It" on BBC's Radio 1 in the Live Lounge.[31] "Smile Like You Mean It" was remixed by French music producer Madeon.[32]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Chatani, Sydney (April 17, 2020). "Album Review: Hot Fuss by the Killers". The Spinnaker. Retrieved November 22, 2022. "A fan favorite, "Smile Like You Mean It" is covered in new-wave synths and melancholy recollections of youth."
2. ^ Marotta O'Connor, Michael (June 5, 2014). "New Ordered: Ranking the tracks off the Killers' 'Hot Fuss' on its 10th anniversary". Vanyaland. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2023. "Over synth-rock's next decade, imitators have tried desperately to capture the simple beauty in the chorus' three simple notes."
3. ^ "The Hottest 100 Archive: 2004". Australian Broadcasting Company. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
4. ^ "TheKillersShows on Twitter: "@BrandonFlowers explaining the line "Looking back at sunsets on the east side" (Smile Like You Mean It) #thekillers #samstown10 @thekillers"". Twitter.com. November 6, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
5. ^ a b Caulfield, Keith; Paoletta, Michael (March 26, 2005), "Smile Like You Mean It". Billboard. 117 (13):29
6. ^ Arnold, Chuck (June 12, 2004), "Hot Fuss (Music)". People. 62 (23):48
7. ^ "Smile Like You Mean It by The Killers". Song of the Decade. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
8. ^ Lane, Lexi; Gutierrez, Juan (August 25, 2020). "The 20 Best Killers Songs". Paste. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
9. ^ Walthall, Catherine (August 26, 2021). "The Killers Top 10 Songs". American Songwriter. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
10. ^ Smile Like You Mean It (UK 7-inch single sleeve). The Killers. Lizard King Records. 2005. LIZARD015X.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
11. ^ Smile Like You Mean It (UK CD single liner notes). The Killers. Lizard King Records. 2005. LIZARD015.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
12. ^ Smile Like You Mean It (UK 12-inch single liner notes). The Killers. Lizard King Records. 2005. LIZARD015Y.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
13. ^ "Smile Like You Mean It (Remixes) – Single". Apple Music. June 7, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
14. ^ Smile Like You Mean It (Australian CD single liner notes). The Killers. Lizard King Records. 2005. 9882023.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
15. ^ "The Killers – Smile Like You Mean It". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
16. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Smile Like You Mean It". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
17. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
18. ^ "Killers: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
19. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
20. ^ "The Killers Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
21. ^ "2005 The Year in Charts: Top Modern Rock Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 13, no. 50\. December 16, 2005. p. 52.
22. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
23. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Killers – Smile Like You Mean it". Music Canada. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
24. ^ "British single certifications – Killers – Smile Like You Mean It". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
25. ^ "American single certifications – Killers – Smile Like You Mean It". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
26. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1597\. March 11, 2005. p. 47. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
27. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 25th April 2005" (PDF). ARIA. April 25, 2005. p. 28\. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 19, 2005. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
28. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. April 30, 2005. p. 27.
29. ^ "Smile Like You Mean It (Remixes)". Amazon. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
30. ^ "Smile Like You Mean It". Amazon. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
31. ^ "David Gray - Smile Like You Mean It (Acoustic)". August 30, 2008. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2012 - via YouTube.
32. ^ "The Killers - Smile Like You Mean It (Madeon Remix)".

## External links

[edit]

* MusicOMH Song Review Archived October 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine

* v
* t
* e

The Killers

* Brandon Flowers
* Dave Keuning
* Ronnie Vannucci Jr.
* Mark Stoermer

List of the Killers band members

Studio albums|

* Hot Fuss
* Sam's Town
* Day & Age
* Battle Born
* Wonderful Wonderful
* Imploding the Mirage
* Pressure Machine

Compilation albums|

* Sawdust
* Direct Hits
* Don't Waste Your Wishes
* Rebel Diamonds

Live albums|

* Live from the Royal Albert Hall

Extended plays|

* (Red) Christmas EP

Singles|

* "Mr. Brightside"
* "Somebody Told Me"
* "All These Things That I've Done"
* "Smile Like You Mean It"
* "When You Were Young"
* "Bones"
* "Read My Mind"
* "For Reasons Unknown"
* "Shadowplay"
* "Tranquilize"
* "Human"
* "Spaceman"
* "The World We Live In"
* "A Dustland Fairytale"
* "Runaways"
* "Miss Atomic Bomb"
* "Here with Me"
* "Shot at the Night"
* "Just Another Girl"
* "The Man"
* "Run for Cover"
* "Rut"
* "Caution"
* "My Own Soul's Warning"
* "Dustland"

Other songs|

* "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine"
* "Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll"
* "Wonderful Wonderful"
* "Some Kind of Love"

Christmas songs|

* "A Great Big Sled"
* "Don't Shoot Me Santa"
* "Joseph, Better You than Me"
* "¡Happy Birthday Guadalupe!"
* "Boots"
* "The Cowboys' Christmas Ball"
* "I Feel It in My Bones"
* "Christmas in L.A."
* "Joel the Lump of Coal"
* "Dirt Sledding"

Concert tours|

* Hot Fuss Tour
* Battle Born World Tour
* Wonderful Wonderful World Tour
* Imploding the Mirage Tour
* Rebel Diamonds Tour

Related articles|

* Discography
* Songs
* Awards and nominations
* The Heavy Entertainment Show
* Ray Suen
* Tommy Marth
* Ted Sablay
* Ryan Pardey
* Big Talk
* Big Talk
* Straight In No Kissin'
* Izabella Miko
* Flamingo
* Another Life
* The Desired Effect
* Dark Arts
* Prismism

Category

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work
* MusicBrainz release group

|

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