UP: WHY NOT SMILE

   This was the first new R.E.M. song heard after the Bill Berry era. It was released on an Oxford American Southern Sampler in an acoustic version. I remember hearing this song before the album came out and it's ... well ... a little simple. Nothing crazy different, but also nothing earth shattering. The album version definitely creates more of a mood and has a warm ambiance. Michael feels the song is about someone who doesn't understand depression with a quick 'Why not smile' solution to everything, or a variation on telling people to smile because they'll be prettier. Sometimes I don't want to smile! Peter on the other hand thinks the song is sweet. Go figure. I've always leaned in to Michael's intention when listening, so I was happy to hear him feel the same way about the character. I mean 'the concrete broke your fall' is kind of a jerky thing to say to someone, great line though.



WHY NOT SMILE

The concrete broke your fall
To hear you speak of it
I'd have done anything
I would do anything
I feel like a cartoon brick wall
To hear you speak of it

You've been so sad
It makes me worry
Why not smile?
You've been sad for a while
Why not smile?

I would do anything
To hear you speak of it
Why not smile?
You've been sad for a while
You've been sad for a while

   I've put the basics below. The most important thing in the song is when the pattern doesn't continue to D and goes back to G after the A, like in the last line of the chorus. If you get lost, play along with the song. I also didn't post the power chords below, they just follow the regular chords--hang on D the first couple of times through and let it ring. The intros below basically take the place of the D chord and the walk happens two or three times in the song most notably before the first time we hear the lyric 'you've been sad for awhile.'

WHY NOT SMILE

Intro (Guitar 1)

e|-----12----12----12--------|

B|---15----15----15--15--15--|

G|-14----14----14------14----|

Intro (Guitar 2)

e|---5-5----|

B|--7---7---|

G|-7-----7--|

Verse (G-A-D)

e|-----3-------2-------2-------2-----|

B|---3--3-3--2--2-2--3--3-3--3--3-3--|

G|--0-0--0--2-2--2--2-2--2--2-2--2---|

D|---------2-------0-------0---------|

A|-----------------------------------|

E|-3---------------------------------|

D Walk (w/ the Bass)

e|-----2-------2----|

B|---3--3-3--3--3-3-|

G|--2-2--2--2-2--2--|

D|-0-------4--------|

A|------------------|

E|------------------|

Riff

e|-7777777----------------|------------|

B|--------10-10-10-10-10--|-10-7-5-3---|

G|-------repeat a lot-----|------------|