Video hit The Undisputed Truth

The Undisputed Truth - Smiling Faces Sometimes

Smiling Faces Sometimes is a soul song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for the Motown label. The song was originally recorded by the Temptations in 1971.

Producer Norman Whitfield had the song re-recorded by the Undisputed Truth the same year, resulting in a number-three Billboard Hot 100 position for the group.

"Smiling Faces" was the only Top 40 single released by the Undisputed Truth, and was included on their debut album The Undisputed Truth.

Both versions of "Smiling Faces Sometimes" deal with the same subject matter, "back-stabbing" friends who do their friends wrong behind their backs ("Smiling faces sometimes...they don't tell the truth...smiling faces sometimes tell lies"), but in different ways. The Temptations' original uses an arrangement similar to a haunted house film score to represent feelings of fear and timidness. Included on the 1971 Sky's the Limit album, "Smiling Faces Sometimes" runs over 12 minutes, most of which is extended instrumental passages without any vocals.

An edited version was planned as the Temptations' summer 1971 single release, but this plan was dropped when lead vocalist Eddie Kendricks, frustrated by personnel problems within the group, quit the Temptations and signed a solo deal with Motown in March 1971.

Whitfield was known for recording dramatically different versions of the same song with different Motown artists, including Smokey Robinson & the Miracles' "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (re-recorded as hit records for Gladys Knight & the Pips, and Marvin Gaye) and the Temptations' "War" (re-recorded as a hit for Edwin Starr). After Kendricks left The Temptations, an undaunted Whitfield re-recorded the song with his latest protégés, psychedelic trio Undisputed Truth. It has since been covered by Bobbi Humphrey, Joan Osborne, Rare Earth, and others.

Future Undisputed Truth singles would never make it higher than #63, a position attained by both 1972's "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" and 1974's "Help Yourself". Ironically, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" was re-recorded by The Temptations shortly after its release, and the re-recorded version became not only a #1 pop hit, but a three-time Grammy Award winner as well.

The O'Jays' similarly themed 1972 hit "Back Stabbers" quotes the lyrics "smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes..." in the refrain near the end of the song.

Whitfield later revisited the song for the 1973 album Ma, recorded by Motown's white rock band, Rare Earth, which he produced and wrote.

In 2013, "Smiling Faces Sometimes" was featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto V.

The lyrics:

Smiling faces sometimes pretend to be your friend

Smiling faces show no traces of the evil that lurks within

Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes

They don't tell the truth uh

Smiling faces, smiling faces

Tell lies and I got proof

The truth is in the eyes

Cause the eyes don't lie, amen

Remember a smile is just

A frown turned upside down

My friend let me tell you

Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes

They don't tell the truth, uh

Smiling faces, smiling faces

Tell lies and I got proof

Beware, beware of the handshake

That hides the snake

I'm telling you beware

Beware of the pat on the back

It just might hold you back

Jealousy (jealousy)

Misery (misery)

Envy

I tell you, you can't see behind smiling faces

Smiling faces sometimes they don't tell the truth

Smiling faces, smiling faces

Tell lies and I got proof

Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes

They don't tell the truth

Smiling faces, smiling faces

Tell lies and I got proof

(Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes)

(Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes)

I'm telling you beware, beware of the handshake

That hides the snake

Listen to me now, beware

Beware of that pat on the back

It just might hold you back

Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes

They don't tell the truth

Smiling faces, smiling faces

Tell lies and I got proof

Your enemy won't do you no harm

Cause you'll know where he's coming from

Don't let the handshake and the smile fool ya

Take my advice I'm only try' to school ya