Weller's eleventh studio album, Sonik Kicks, was released on 19 March 2012. The Green Songfacts reports that it was recorded in Weller’s own Black Barn Studios in Ripley, Surrey, with co-producer Simon Dine and engineer Charles Rees.
Born John William Weller in Stanley Road, Woking, he was also a central figure in the Mod revival. As the leader of the Jam, Paul Weller fronted the most popular British band of the punk era, influencing legions of English rockers that ranged from his mod-revival contemporaries to the Smiths in the '80s and Oasis in the '90s. During the final days of the Jam, he developed a fascination with Motown and soul, which led him to form the sophisti-pop group the Style Council in 1983. As the Style Council's career progressed, Weller's interest in soul developed into an infatuation with jazz-pop and house music, which eventually led to gradual erosion of his audience — by 1990, he couldn't get a record contract in the UK, where he had previously been worshipped as a demi-god. As a solo artist, Weller returned to soul music as an inspiration, cutting it with the progressive, hippie tendencies of Traffic. Weller's solo records were more organic and rootsier than the Style Council, which helped him regain his popularity within Britain. By the mid-'90s, he had released three successful albums which were both critically-acclaimed and massively popular in England, where contemporary bands like Ocean Colour Scene were citing him as an influence. Just as importantly, many observers, while occasionally criticizing the trad-rock nature of his music, acknowledged that Weller was one of the few rock veterans that had managed to stay vital within the second decade of his career.
Paper Smile
Paul Weller Lyrics
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If you don't live it, baby
It's just getting on by
With a promise, what if, maybe
Hanging around
Waiting for something to fall
And once in a while
What's in a life
If you don't live it, baby
What's in a kiss
If you can't feel it, baby
The lips maybe sweet
But are they sweet enough to contain it
You're wasting your time
Hanging out of windows painting
And once in a while
The paper smile must come and go
And where it blows
Who knows
And where it goes
It goes
I'm glad to see it go
I'm glad to see it go
And what's in a dream
If you can't be it, baby
Look away, you're painted smile
Look away, you're painted smile
Wipe away your painted smile
Wipe away your painted smile
Look away you're painted smile
Wipe away your painted smile
Painted smile, painted smile
Painted smile, painted smile
The lyrics to Paul Weller’s song Paper Smile seem to be about living life fully and authentically, rather than just getting by with empty promises and superficial appearances. The first verse asks “What’s in a life, If you don’t live it, baby?”, suggesting that merely existing is not enough, and that life needs to be actively experienced to have meaning. The second verse speaks to the nature of love, questioning “What’s in a kiss, If you can’t feel it, baby?”, and implying that surface-level sweetness is not enough to make a relationship fulfilling. The chorus then repeats the idea that a “paper smile”, or a fake grin, may be present in life but must eventually fade away.
Throughout the song, it seems that Weller is making a plea for authenticity and genuine connections, rather than just going through the motions of life. The repeated refrain “Look away you’re painted smile/Wipe away your painted smile” seems to be urging the listener to shed any false fronts and show their true selves, as a way of finding deeper meaning and fulfillment. Overall, Paper Smile can be seen as a call to live honestly and embrace life in all its messy, genuine glory.
Line by Line Meaning
What's in a life
What is the meaning or purpose of life that you lead
If you don't live it, baby
If you're not truly experiencing it, my dear
It's just getting on by
It's just passing time without truly living it to the fullest
With a promise, what if, maybe
Living life with hypothetical promises and uncertainties can be unfulfilling
Hanging around
Idling away without a concrete plan or purpose
Waiting for something to fall
Expecting opportunities or happiness to come to you without actively seeking them out
And once in a while
Occasionally, under certain circumstances
The paper smile must come a-way
The fake, superficial happiness you put on must disappear
What's in a kiss
What is the true value of a kiss
If you can't feel it, baby
If you can't feel the passion or love in it, my dear
The lips maybe sweet
The kiss may seem sweet on the surface
But are they sweet enough to contain it
But is it genuine enough to hold true emotions
You're wasting your time
You're spending your time in a meaningless or unproductive way
Hanging out of windows painting
Wasting your time without a real purpose or direction
And where it blows
And where your life takes you
Who knows
Nobody knows for certain
And where it goes
Wherever your future may take you
It goes
It goes on, whether we are ready or not
I'm glad to see it go
I'm happy to move on from it
And what's in a dream
What is the significance of a dream
If you can't be it, baby
If you can't fulfill or reach your dream, my dear
Look away, you're painted smile
Turn your eyes away from your fake facade of happiness
Wipe away your painted smile
Get rid of your fake, superficial happiness
Painted smile, painted smile
Your fake facade of happiness, which is just a painted smile
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind