It reached #11 in the UK single chart and #15 in the Billboard U.S. Modern Rock Chart. It also received substantial radioplay in Australia, where it was ranked #39 on Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2004.
The band claims that they wrote the song in 8 minutes.
The song originally featured on the Mr. Brightside EP released in September 2003.
The music video for this song shows ghostly figures of the band wandering around a house that the characters of the song presumably used to live in. While Flowers sings to the camera, flashbacks of the old house are shown behind him, including a children's party, a Christmas morning, a high school party, and a funeral. While these extras are oblivious to being watched, at the end they turn to the camera to look at the viewer while the band fades away.
Billboard said the song "seems to deal with coming to terms with growing up and getting older."
Chuck Arnold with People magazine called the song "a sardonic moper worthy of the Smiths." Billboard said the single is "more restrained and downtempo compared with the band's previous hits" but otherwise "pretty upbeat and is awash with soaring new wave synthesizers and 'killer' guitars." In the UK the song was voted at 91 on Absolute Radio's 100 Best Songs of the Decade.
David Gray performed an acoustic version of "Smile Like You Mean It" on BBC's Radio 1 in the Live Lounge. Tally Hall covered the song for the sixth The O.C. soundtrack: Music from the OC: Mix 6.
The song was released as a downloadable track for the music video game series Rock Band on November 25, 2008.
Smile Like You Mean It
The Killers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Change your ways while you're young
Boy, one day you'll be a man
Oh girl, he'll help you understand
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
Looking back at sunsets on the East side
We lost track of the time
Dreams aren't what they used to be
Some things slide by so carelessly
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
And someone is calling my name
From the back of the restaurant
And someone is playing a game
In the house that I grew up in
And someone will drive her around
Down the same streets that I did
On the same streets that I did
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
Oh no, oh no no no
Oh no, oh no no no
The Killers' song "Smile Like You Mean It" is packed with emotion and thought-provoking lyrics. The first verse encourages the listener to "Change your ways while you're young" and "Smile like you mean it", implying that it is important to make the most out of life when you can. As the chorus repeats, "Smile like you mean it", it seems like this is a message to the listener to be genuine and present in their interactions with others, rather than just going through the motions with a fake smile.
The second verse takes a reflective turn, speaking of lost time and dreams that have fallen by the wayside. The imagery of sunsets on the east side and the slipping away of things that used to matter highlight a sense of nostalgia and longing for something that has been lost. The bridge amplifies this feeling with memories of childhood, as someone is calling the singer's name and playing a game in the house they grew up in. These memories seem to emphasize the fleeting nature of life and the importance of living in the moment.
Overall, "Smile Like You Mean It" is a song that encourages the listener to engage with life authentically and with purpose. The lyrics point to the importance of cherishing time and relationships, making the most of opportunities, and living in the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Save some face, you know you've only got one
Be careful with your reputation, because once it's damaged, it's hard to restore
Change your ways while you're young
It's easier to make changes in your behavior when you're young, so don't wait until it's too late
Boy, one day you'll be a man
Growing up is inevitable, and with it comes greater responsibility and accountability
Oh girl, he'll help you understand
The singer is offering reassurance that someone will be there to offer guidance and support
Smile like you mean it
Appearances matter, even if you may not feel happy or genuine
Looking back at sunsets on the East side
Reflecting on the past and memories of specific experiences or people
We lost track of the time
Time passes quickly and it's easy to lose touch with things that once were important
Dreams aren't what they used to be
As people get older, their aspirations and desires may shift or fade
Some things slide by so carelessly
It's easy to overlook or neglect certain things, even those that are important
And someone is calling my name
From the back of the restaurant
Someone is trying to get the singer's attention, possibly reminding them of something from the past
And someone is playing a game
In the house that I grew up in
The singer is recognizing that the people and places from their past continue on without them
And someone will drive her around
Down the same streets that I did
On the same streets that I did
The singer acknowledges that others will have similar experiences and make similar memories in the same places they once did
Oh no, oh no no no
Expression of worry or concern for the future
Oh no, oh no no no
Reiteration of the previous expression
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Brandon Flowers, Dave Brent Keuning, Mark August Stoermer, Ronnie Jr. Vannucci
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@uvuvwevwevweonyetenyevweug9965
Lyrics
Save some face, you know you've only got one
Change your ways while you're young
Boy, one day you'll be a man
Oh, girl, he'll help you understand
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
Looking back at sunsets on the East side
We lost track of the time
Dreams aren't what they used to be
Some things sat by so carelessly
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
And someone is calling my name
From the back of the restaurant
And someone is playing a game
In the house that I grew up in
And someone will drive her around
Down the same streets that I did
On the same streets that I did
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
Oh no, oh, no, no, no
Oh no, oh, no, no, no.....
@vitoriaribeiro3003
Save some face, you know you've only got one
Change your ways while you're young
Boy, one day you'll be a man
Oh girl, he'll help you understand
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
Looking back at sunsets on the East side
We lost track of the time
Dreams aren't what they used to be
Somethings slide by so carelessly
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
And someone is calling my name
From the back of the restaurant
And someone is playing a game
In the house that I grew up in
And someone will drive her around
Down the same streets that I did
On the same streets that I did
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
Oh no, oh no, no, no
Oh no, oh no, no, no
@boat4l658
Who else loves this song?
Heres the Lyrics:
[Verse 1]
Save some face, you know you've only got one
Change your ways while you're young
Boy, one day you'll be a man
Oh, girl, he'll help you understand
[Chorus]
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
[Verse 2]
Looking back at sunsets on the East side
We lost track of the time
Dreams aren't what they used to be
Some things sat by so carelessly
[Chorus]
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
[Bridge]
And someone is calling my name
From the back of the restaurant
And someone is playing a game
In the house that I grew up in
And someone will drive her around
Down the same streets that I did
On the same streets that I did
[Chorus]
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
[Outro]
Oh no, oh, no, no, no
Oh no, oh, no, no, no
@aweha
Hot Fuss was without a doubt one of the best albums of the 00s.
@rabbit0664
Agreed hands down
@zehrasufian
Greatest debut of all time, hand in hand with Is This It
@alvaroa.4334
@@zehrasufian definitely maybe?
@mandelbomb99
Hands down. It’s a shame the best known song on the album is Mr. Brightside
@BenScho-nt3dr
@@zehrasufian Whatever People Say I Am is the best
@Andrew_Franklin
When you forget to hit "publish" on the video for 12 years
@camandrec
xD
@JessicaBlut
That damned scheduling feature acting up again. 😂
@DouglasmPessoa
LOL