Before joining forces, Sly was drumming for the Skin Flesh and Bones band and Robbie was the bass player for the Aggrovators. They also used to play in clubs (Sly at Tit for Tat and Robbie at Evil People), and used to check each other out. They found out that they had the same ideas about music in general (both are huge fans of Motown, Philly Sound and Country & Western, in addition to Jamaican legendary labels Studio One and Treasure Isle), and Reggae production in particular. They first worked together for the newly created Channel One label and studio, operated by the Hoo Kim brothers.
They changed the face of Reggae several times: in 1976, they introduced a harder beat called "Rockers", which quickly replaced the then prevalent "One drop" style, then introduced the "rub a dub" sound in the early 1980s. Sly and Robbie were important in developing the trend towards computer assisted music and programmming in the mid 1980s.
Also in the early 1990s they introduced a novel sound with the hits "Bam Bam" and "Murder She Wrote" by Chaka Demus & Pliers. Chaka Demus' rough DJ vocals were matched with Pliers' sweet, melodic, soul-influenced singing; this unusal vocal pairing was championed by Sly and Robbie. This formula has since been used with great success by the likes of Shaggy (who teamed up with singers Rayvon or Rik Rok), Shabba Ranks, Maxi Priest and others. This predates and may have influenced the recent trend in some rap music where a song's "hook" or chorus is sung by a guest, while the verses are rapped.
Sly & Robbie continued to innovate during the 1990s and early 2000s, fusing Dancehall and Latin music sounds (La Trenggae) or Dancehall and hip hop/R&B (their 2004 Big Up riddim). In 2001, their "Strip to the Bone" album paired them with electro producer Howie B, and together they explored new dub territories.
Far from restricting themselves to the Jamaican scene, (in which they have played for virtually every prominent Jamaican musical artist from Beenie Man to Sean Paul to Peter Tosh, Black Uhuru, Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown and others), they have been one of pop music's most sought after rhythm sections, playing for and producing superstars such as Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, the Rolling Stones, Grace Jones, Joan Armatrading, Gilberto Gil, Joe Cocker, Serge Gainsbourg, Simply Red, Michael Franti, Sting, Khaled, Tricky, Doug E. Fresh, Carlos Santana, Sinéad O'Connor, and many more.
They have produced No Doubt's hits 'Hey Baby' and 'Underneath it All'. They also produced some tracks off Suggs first album 'The Lone Ranger' including the hit version of Cecilia featuring Louchie Lou and Michie One which sold over 500,000 copies in the UK alone.
After 30 years together, they still tour and record relentlessly. Their last US tour was with Tony Rebel and Half Pint, during the Spring of 2005. During the Summer of 2005, they toured Europe and the UK with Bunny Rugs, lead singer for Third World. During the Fall of 2005 they were on the road with Sinéad O'Connor and in August 2006, they appeared with Don Carlos at the Reggae on the River Festival, while they backed Cherine and Queen Ifrica in 2007 and early 2008.
They have produced several new Jamaican artists for their TAXI label, including Kibaki, Mynimoo and Zennlocc, as well as confirmed superstars such as Elephant Man. They have also recorded with their original group, the Revolutionaries, to produce Horace Andy's new album "Livin' it up" (2007). They recently signed the lovers rock sensation Bitty McLean to their TAXI label and are planning to release "MOVIN' ON", Bitty's new album, during 2008.
http://www.myspace.com/slyandrobbie
Sly & Robbie on iTunes
Smiling Faces Sometimes
Sly & Robbie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Smiling faces show no traces of the evil that lurks within.
Smiling faces, Smiling Faces, Sometimes they don't tell the truth.
Smiling faces, smiling faces tell lies and I got proof.
The truth is in the eye 'cause the eyes don't lie, amen.
Remember, a smile is just a frown turned upside down my friend.
So, hear me when I'm saying
Smiling faces, Smiling Faces, Sometimes they don't tell the truth.
Smiling faces, smiling faces tell lies and I got proof.
Beware. Beware of the handshake that hides the snake,
I'm tellin' you 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.
Your enemy won't do you no harm, 'cause you'll know where he's comin' from;
don't let the handshake and the smile fool ya.
Take my advice I'm only tryin' to school ya.
Smiling faces, Smiling Faces, Sometimes they don't tell the truth.
The lyrics to Sly & Robbie's song Smiling Faces Sometimes warn listeners about the deceptive nature of smiling faces. At first, it may seem like someone is your friend, but a smile can easily mask the evil intentions that may lurk beneath the surface. The song emphasizes the idea that "smiling faces sometimes tell lies," and encourages listeners to be cautious when interacting with people who put on a friendly facade.
The lyrics also touch on the idea that the truth can often be found in a person's eyes. While a smile may be a way to put on a happy face, the eyes can reveal a different story. The song cautions against trusting too easily or being deceived by a friendly handshake or pat on the back, as these gestures may be hiding a more insidious motive. The lyrics urge listeners to be aware of jealousy, misery, and envy, as these emotions can lead to deceitfulness.
Overall, the message of Smiling Faces Sometimes is that people are capable of deception, and that it's important to be able to recognize when someone is not being truthful. The song encourages listeners to be skeptical of friendly faces and to trust their instincts when it comes to assessing other people's intentions.
Line by Line Meaning
Smiling faces sometimes pretend to be your friend.
Occasionally, individuals who don a smiling face are not actually loyal and instead, they only pose as friendly.
Smiling faces show no traces of the evil that lurks within.
Insincere individuals can conceal their evil or wicked behavior behind a smiling façade.
Smiling faces, Smiling Faces, Sometimes they don't tell the truth.
Even though smiling faces are a symbol of honesty, sometimes they can deceive you and not convey the whole truth.
Smiling faces, smiling faces tell lies and I got proof.
False smiling faces can provide deceitful information, and the artist has legitimate evidence to back up these claims.
The truth is in the eye 'cause the eyes don't lie, amen.
One should always trust their eyes and avoid relying on fake smiles since eyes rarely give false information.
Remember, a smile is just a frown turned upside down my friend. So, hear me when I'm saying
A smile is nothing more than an inverted frown, so one should take heed of what the singer is stating.
Beware. Beware of the handshake that hides the snake, I'm tellin' you beware of the pat on the back it just might hold you back.
Individuals should be careful of being deceived by a handshake that conceals an ulterior motive and any praise that might be holding them back.
Jealousy, (Jealousy) misery, (misery) envy.
The song describes the potent effects of the negative emotions of jealousy, misery, and envy.
I tell you you can't see behind Smiling faces, Smiling Faces, Sometimes they don't tell the truth.
The artist asserts that one should not credit false smiles since they don't always convey the truth behind their friendly facade.
Your enemy won't do you no harm, 'cause you'll know where he's comin' from; don't let the handshake and the smile fool ya.
At least when in danger, one can look out for the enemy's attacks, whereas people with fake smiles might try to trick them into letting their guard down.
Take my advice I'm only tryin' to school ya.
The singer concludes by advising listeners to be aware of fake people and not be fooled by false smiles.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BARRETT STRONG, NORMAN WHITFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind