"Smile" is the debut single of American singer Vitamin C, featuring vocals from Jamaican reggae singer Lady Saw. "Smile" was the first single released from Vitamin C's self-titled debut album on June 8, 1999. Using television exposure as a major form of promotion, the song became a top-40 hit in Canada, Iceland, New Zealand, and the United States.
According to Vitamin C, she had trouble coming up with the song's 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. Elektra Records released "Smile" as a 12-inch single on June 8, 1999, and as a CD, maxi-CD, and cassette single on June 29 of the same year. On June 22, 1999, Elektra Records serviced "Smile" to American pop and rhythmic radio stations.
"Smile" became Vitamin C's highest-charting single in the United States, peaking at number 21 on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 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. Worldwide, "Smile" peaked at number 13 in New Zealand, number 24 in Iceland, and number 29 in Canada. In the US, the single received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments in excess of 500,000. 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.
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.
US CD single
US maxi-CD single
US 12-inch single
US cassette single
UK CD single
European CD single
European maxi-CD single
Australian CD single
Credits are lifted from the US CD single and Vitamin C liner notes.
Studios
Personnel