Smile, while the music was written by Kentaro Akutsunot, was composed by the Maids, including the guitar work and lyrics by Miku. Smile has this beautiful, somewhat haunting aspect with Kanami's continuous background riff, and the way MISA comes in with her powerful, delayed start. But she goes crazy starting the second verse, doesn't she? It's ballsy and I love it. It's weird to me why Smile is rarely played or covered. Thx, Red!
This is part of what I call the "Smile" trilogy. The first song being Smile, the "B-side" to their song Bubble. The music was written by Kentaro Akutsu who wrote their breakout song "Thrill" but with lyrics by Miku. The second song is "About US" a love song to their fans during the lockdowns written by the Ladies themselves. When it was performed live for the first time during their on-line concert to replace their canceled Budokan concert, Saiki gave a brief speech before the song started, that had many of us getting attacked by dust. Then the song itself brought out the onion ninjas and made many us have allergy attacks as well. Then we have "Memorable". It was almost 3 years since the Ladies had last toured the US, and they were concerned they had lost their momentum. Even though being told they were selling out their shows, they didn't believe what they were being told, they thought their management was lying to them or playing a joke on them. They came over and performed at Aftershock, then they got on their tour bus, (A first for them, as they normally would either fly or rent a couple vans to tour in) and drove to their first show of their 2022 US Tour. Seattle. It was at Seattle, that the Ladies got confirmation of just how much their fans love them and how much we missed them. As they walked out on stage, according to several people who were at the show, they were shocked. And Saiki as she came out, was said to have looked like someone had hit her with a bat, her eyes were so wide. The crowd response, and the emotions coming off them fed the Ladies energy as the performed their show. And as they went to their next concert, the response there was the same. And the next show, with the fans sending gifts for MISA's birthday, having several hundred custom printed towels handed out to the audience celebrating MISA's birthday. All these things hit the Ladies in their hearts. And Kanami had an idea for a new song. This next part is hearsay so I have no way of confirming it, but the sounds at the beginning before the guitar part starts was the sound that Kanami heard while back stage at the Los Angeles show. Hearing music and the audience talking. Supposedly, she actually recorded it on her phone before their introduction music started playing. Again that is hearsay and I have no way to confirm it. But from the L.A. show Kanami started writing the vocal melody line. If you have a chance to watch the Behind the scenes documentary from their TGT Concert DVD-BD, Kanami discusses and sings the vocal melody. She later sang and played it to Saiki and Saiki told Kanami to finish the song, then Saiki and Miku wrote the lyrics together. The lyrics are about looking out into the audience while being up on stage, and seeing the smiles of their "Masters and Princesses" And how much that means to them, the Ladies of Band-Maid, and how much they love us as their fans, and how much they feel our love of them as performers. The Ladies finished the song after they returned home to Japan, and worked it up, and performed it live for the first time at their January 9th concert at the Tokyo Gardens Theater, which was later released as a DVD/BD with the BTS Documentary. But just a month after their concert at TGT, they were back in the US as the opening band for the "Last Rock Stars" a Japanese supergroup, for 3 shows. Two in New York and one in Los Angeles. While in Los Angeles, the outside desert portion of this video were recorded, just outside of Lancaster California, the performance portions were taken from the very first live performance at the TGT. So know you know the story behind the song. It is a love song from the Ladies of the band, to their fans, telling us how we lift them up, and how they love being able to perform for us. As I wrote at the very beginning, this is the 3 song of the trilogy, and all of them are about how much the Ladies love us their fans. And for that, we love them back. The full on electric version of this song is a little bit faster but still just as impactful. The version of this from their 2021 Christmas Acoustic is MORE impactful since Akane modified her drumming to bring out the guitars more.
Even though Band Maid did not write "Smile" they made it theirs. This is such a beautiful song. Saiki's voice gives the song it's emotional feeling, Kanami's acoustic guitar work, and Misa's soulful bass is the perfect backing sound it needs. Just a beautiful song!!!!!
Saiki stands out in these acoustic performances so wonderfully! Fun to watch Kanami loving the progress of her student, Miku! We Maidiac's bring a Smile to the Maids, as they do us as well! It's a special view both ways!
It’s amazing how few English lyrics there can be and how simple they can be, yet can still be so powerful. “Your smile makes me happy,” has so much emotional weight to it. Such a powerful line.
I really love watching Kanami in the background where she is listening intently to every note that the other Maids are playing and singing. Those little inward nods & smiles of approval showing that she is pleased with the way her fellow band mates are dealing with the music she has written for them. Like a mother hen watching over her brood. So sweet.
Band Maid is fearless. Supremely confident. Who else would or could cut tracks so different like “Shambles” and “Smile?” And experiment with “Influencer?” Or have the first track and first music video of a new album be an instrumental (From Now On)? Or lead off their first appearance at a festival with a singalong song that the crowd has never heard? (Domination) And to top it off, completely change their name, outfits and even their names as an April Fool’s joke, yet have fans love it so much they cut a track in the characters? (Gion-Cho) They may never have a number one song or album or lead the Spotify downloads…but for me? An average music fan? They’re already Hall of Fame material
Well, I think your smile is more noticeable than you think. :) And if one day the ladies might see this in front of them in the audience and perhaps show you with a small gesture that they have noticed it, you will certainly appreciate this song even more. Because when they say 'Your smile makes me happy' they mean exactly what they see when they look from the stage. The first of now several songs that the ladies have dedicated to us fans as a thank you. :) Oh, and I can totally feel the MTV Unplugged vibes. It's been a long time, hasn't it? _____________________ 「 _"Our rock never dies ever. Forever!"_ 」 - from *BAND-MAID* - 'Manners' 🎶🕊
Smile, while the music was written by Kentaro Akutsunot, was composed by the Maids, including the guitar work and lyrics by Miku. Smile has this beautiful, somewhat haunting aspect with Kanami's continuous background riff, and the way MISA comes in with her powerful, delayed start. But she goes crazy starting the second verse, doesn't she? It's ballsy and I love it. It's weird to me why Smile is rarely played or covered. Thx, Red!
This is part of what I call the "Smile" trilogy. The first song being Smile, the "B-side" to their song Bubble. The music was written by Kentaro Akutsu who wrote their breakout song "Thrill" but with lyrics by Miku. The second song is "About US" a love song to their fans during the lockdowns written by the Ladies themselves. When it was performed live for the first time during their on-line concert to replace their canceled Budokan concert, Saiki gave a brief speech before the song started, that had many of us getting attacked by dust. Then the song itself brought out the onion ninjas and made many us have allergy attacks as well.
Then we have "Memorable". It was almost 3 years since the Ladies had last toured the US, and they were concerned they had lost their momentum. Even though being told they were selling out their shows, they didn't believe what they were being told, they thought their management was lying to them or playing a joke on them. They came over and performed at Aftershock, then they got on their tour bus, (A first for them, as they normally would either fly or rent a couple vans to tour in) and drove to their first show of their 2022 US Tour. Seattle.
It was at Seattle, that the Ladies got confirmation of just how much their fans love them and how much we missed them. As they walked out on stage, according to several people who were at the show, they were shocked. And Saiki as she came out, was said to have looked like someone had hit her with a bat, her eyes were so wide. The crowd response, and the emotions coming off them fed the Ladies energy as the performed their show. And as they went to their next concert, the response there was the same. And the next show, with the fans sending gifts for MISA's birthday, having several hundred custom printed towels handed out to the audience celebrating MISA's birthday. All these things hit the Ladies in their hearts.
And Kanami had an idea for a new song.
This next part is hearsay so I have no way of confirming it, but the sounds at the beginning before the guitar part starts was the sound that Kanami heard while back stage at the Los Angeles show. Hearing music and the audience talking. Supposedly, she actually recorded it on her phone before their introduction music started playing. Again that is hearsay and I have no way to confirm it.
But from the L.A. show Kanami started writing the vocal melody line. If you have a chance to watch the Behind the scenes documentary from their TGT Concert DVD-BD, Kanami discusses and sings the vocal melody. She later sang and played it to Saiki and Saiki told Kanami to finish the song, then Saiki and Miku wrote the lyrics together.
The lyrics are about looking out into the audience while being up on stage, and seeing the smiles of their "Masters and Princesses" And how much that means to them, the Ladies of Band-Maid, and how much they love us as their fans, and how much they feel our love of them as performers.
The Ladies finished the song after they returned home to Japan, and worked it up, and performed it live for the first time at their January 9th concert at the Tokyo Gardens Theater, which was later released as a DVD/BD with the BTS Documentary. But just a month after their concert at TGT, they were back in the US as the opening band for the "Last Rock Stars" a Japanese supergroup, for 3 shows. Two in New York and one in Los Angeles. While in Los Angeles, the outside desert portion of this video were recorded, just outside of Lancaster California, the performance portions were taken from the very first live performance at the TGT.
So know you know the story behind the song. It is a love song from the Ladies of the band, to their fans, telling us how we lift them up, and how they love being able to perform for us.
As I wrote at the very beginning, this is the 3 song of the trilogy, and all of them are about how much the Ladies love us their fans. And for that, we love them back.
The full on electric version of this song is a little bit faster but still just as impactful. The version of this from their 2021 Christmas Acoustic is MORE impactful since Akane modified her drumming to bring out the guitars more.
Your smile makes them happy. Please spend your time with a smile.
Even though Band Maid did not write "Smile" they made it theirs. This is such a beautiful song. Saiki's voice gives the song it's emotional feeling, Kanami's acoustic guitar work, and Misa's soulful bass is the perfect backing sound it needs. Just a beautiful song!!!!!
Lyrics are by Miku but song was written by long time collaborator Kentaro Akutsu
Saiki stands out in these acoustic performances so wonderfully! Fun to watch Kanami loving the progress of her student, Miku! We Maidiac's bring a Smile to the Maids, as they do us as well! It's a special view both ways!
Smile makes me happy, I know that. I don't think I could love this band any more than I do already. Then again I've thought that before...
It’s amazing how few English lyrics there can be and how simple they can be, yet can still be so powerful. “Your smile makes me happy,” has so much emotional weight to it. Such a powerful line.
You heard her - your smile makes Saiki happy!
What a beautiful song. The melody stirs my soul and takes me on a bittersweet emotional rollercoaster ride.
I really love watching Kanami in the background where she is listening intently to every note that the other Maids are playing and singing. Those little inward nods & smiles of approval showing that she is pleased with the way her fellow band mates are dealing with the music she has written for them. Like a mother hen watching over her brood. So sweet.
I'll recommend Sayonakidori acoustic, my favorite Band-Maid song.
The accoustic version of "Smile" is so personal it feels like a musical hug...
Band Maid is fearless. Supremely confident. Who else would or could cut tracks so different like “Shambles” and “Smile?” And experiment with “Influencer?” Or have the first track and first music video of a new album be an instrumental (From Now On)?
Or lead off their first appearance at a festival with a singalong song that the crowd has never heard? (Domination)
And to top it off, completely change their name, outfits and even their names as an April Fool’s joke, yet have fans love it so much they cut a track in the characters? (Gion-Cho)
They may never have a number one song or album or lead the Spotify downloads…but for me? An average music fan? They’re already Hall of Fame material
Thanks so much nice reaction!!
Well, I think your smile is more noticeable than you think. :) And if one day the ladies might see this in front of them in the audience and perhaps show you with a small gesture that they have noticed it, you will certainly appreciate this song even more. Because when they say 'Your smile makes me happy' they mean exactly what they see when they look from the stage. The first of now several songs that the ladies have dedicated to us fans as a thank you. :)
Oh, and I can totally feel the MTV Unplugged vibes. It's been a long time, hasn't it?
_____________________
「 _"Our rock never dies ever. Forever!"_ 」 - from *BAND-MAID* - 'Manners' 🎶🕊
Im glad someone got the MTV Unplugged thing
@@redsaob Of course! 😏 But it's a bit strange that these performances by Nirvana, Pearl Jam etc. were 30 years ago. Time flies. 🙈
I know - I remember well when they first came out
MISA MISA MISA!!!!!
Loved it! ♥️
😁
🎃👍👍 🖖❤