Just One Smile
"Just One Smile" is a pop song written by Randy Newman in 1960.[1] An early version was recorded by Gene Pitney in 1965.[2][3] It appeared on his 1965 album, I Must Be Seeing Things, and AllMusic noted that it "allowed Pitney to explore the extent of his dramatic range with its tale of the giddy highs and painful lows of a love affair".[4]
"Just One Smile" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Gene Pitney | ||||
from the album I Must Be Seeing Things | ||||
B-side | "Innamorata" | |||
Released | 1965 | |||
Recorded | 1965 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 2:37 | |||
Label | Musicor Records (US) Stateside Records (UK) | |||
Songwriter(s) | A-side : Randy Newman B-side : Mimo Del Sud | |||
Producer(s) | Gene Pitney | |||
Gene Pitney singles chronology | ||||
|
The song became a Top 10 hit on the UK Singles Chart,[5] although it failed to register in the Top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 64.[6] "Just One Smile" was Pitney's seventh consecutive Top Ten hit single in the UK.[5]
"Just One Smile" was covered by Blood, Sweat & Tears on their 1968 album, Child Is Father to the Man.[1][7] That version was just one of a number of covers of the song, which have been recorded by Dusty Springfield, Eternity's Children, Walter Jackson, Sheena Easton, and the Sensations, amongst others.[8] For example, Marcia Hines covered the song on her Ladies and Gentlemen album (1977).[9]
The original version of the song was recorded by the Tokens in 1965, on the B-side to their single, "The Bells of St. Mary's".[10]
Chart performance
Month | Year | Title | Chart positions | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AU | CA[11] | UK[5] | US[6] | |||
November | 1966 | "Just One Smile" (A-side) | 55 | 51 | 8 | 64 |
"Innamorata" (B-side) |
References
- Bruce Pollock (2005). Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era. Routledge. p. 199. ISBN 978-0415970730.
- "Gene Pitney - Just One Smile (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
- Richie Unterberger (2008-04-01). "On Vine Street: The Early Songs of Randy Newman - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
- Donald A. Guarisco. "Looking Through the Eyes of Love - Gene Pitney | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
- Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 428. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- "Gene Pitney - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
- William Ruhlmann. "Child Is Father to the Man - Blood, Sweat & Tears | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
- "Search for "just one smile"". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
- "Ladies and Gentlemen by Marcia Hines". Rateyourmusic.com. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
- "The Tokens - The Bells Of St. Mary (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. 2016-10-06. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
- "Results – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-06-22. Retrieved 2016-10-09.